Detroit basements flooded with sewer water: 'We’re losing money'

Basements submerged in sewer water on Detroit's west side

Detroit Water and Sewerage Department crews found the sewer is surcharging, and something is blocking the flow.

DETROIT (FOX 2) - For the second time in less than a month, residents on Asbury Park Avenue in Detroit's west side found their basements filled with sewer water.

"Everything’s floating, literally floating in my basement," said Shaya Wilson, one of the affected residents. "You could swim in it – deep diving."

As of Friday, everything is submerged – destroying refrigerators, furniture, furnaces, toys, washers, dryers, and other items.

"What am I to do? My refrigerator is floating in water – full of food, floating in water," said Ashley Mills, another resident on Asbury Park Avenue. "I had two plumbers come out, neither one could get the water to go down."

Making matters worse, water levels are rising. In Mills' basement, the water is at least three stairs high.

"I need these drains cleared," Mills said. "I don’t know what’s causing it. I've never experienced this."

None of the Detroiters with water in their basements can use their furnace or hot water heaters.

Anita Williams, who also has a basement brimming in backed up sewage, has been left to battle lung cancer in the cold.

"I’m going through radiation and I can only imagine what type of germs and debris I’m inhaling into my lungs," Williams said.

The frustrated residents all say they experienced flooding on Jan. 11 as well; it receded but caused major damage. Some, like Williams, just got their heaters repaired.

"I have the certificate of completion," Williams said. 'It was just replaced on the 20th. Now it flooded again."

Pumps have been set up to fend off the flooding, with little results. Residents called the city and several others for help.

"I’ve called the mayor’s office, the governor, I left messages, called FEMA – they're like 'they can’t do nothing because it’s not declared a disaster state," Danielle Works said. "But we’re losing money."

Sam Smalley, the COO of the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department, said crews discovered that the sewer is surcharging due to a blockage that is hindering the flow.

"We’re going to get the sewer down and flowing as quickly as we can," Smalley said. "Then we can televise it to see what the approximate cause was."

If clearing the public sewer does not drain the basements on Asbury Park Avenue, residents will have to hire plumbers to inspect their lateral sewage lines, according to the department. As for the damage, they can file a claim.

Crime and Public Safety Detroit