Atlas Twp.- Dorothy Gresock could watch the water rising from her home.
‘It’s normally just a big water hole that fills up in the spring when the snow melts, then drains under Perry Road and flows to the north,? said Gresock, 76, who has lived with her husband in their township home about a mile east of Atlas for eight years.
‘By June the water hole is soggy and then dries up in the summer. Over the last two years I kept calling the Genesee County Drain Commission and the Genesee County Road Commission about the culvert that runs under Perry Road, but they never got to it.?
As the spring progressed and the deep snow continued to melt, the water in Gresock’s field kept rising’so much that it flowed into their yard.
‘Finally our toilet backed up and water came into our bathroom,? she said. ‘A septic company came out and confirmed the rising water flooded our septic system. They can’t pump the water out until they take care of the flood.?
About a week ago the rising water swept over Perry Road. The water on the south side of the road was estimated at more than 10 feet deep.
Aaron Lawrence, Atlas Township district foreman for the Genesee County Road Commission, said an aging eight inch diameter tile dating back to the 1930s that was plugged was the probable cause of the washout that forced the closure of Perry Road.
The repairs were delayed while the water was drained and the old piping was removed. Workers were also contending with a natural gas line and fiberoptics cable which parallel the roadway.
A 35-inch diameter, 80-foot long culvert was scheduled to be installed on Friday. The roadway should be open by April 23, added Lawrence.
‘It’s a case of old infrastructure in our area drains,? said Lawrence.
Shirley Kautman-Jones, township supervisor, Jeff Wright and the Genesee County Drain Commissioner are assisting with a resolution.
Drivers have been asked to seek alternate routes which include Atlas Road, Maple Road or M-15 (State Road).