The floodwaters are overwhelming some Lansing sewer systems. FOX 47's Chelsea Snyder spoke with homeowners who've been dealing the overflow.
Residents tell us they're frustrated with the city after pumping sewage out of their basements over the past couple days. So today we caught up with Mayor Andy Schor to see what the city is doing about it.
"That's the first I have heard of that. We had one person who called us and said they had a backup in their basement that was sewage," said Schor.
But Lansing Township resident Mike Bokovoy says he called the city of Lansing two days ago to report the water and sewage that has been flooding his basement.
"I'm talking on deaf ears you know. I just don't get it I don't understand. Don't worry about it it is the act of God...I'm tired of hearing about act of God," said Bokovoy.
Andy Kilpatrick, Lansing's Public Service Director, says the heavy rain and frozen ground combined to overwhelm the system. He tells FOX 47 it was so bad that the city had to dump sewage into Grand River to help with the backup.
"Anytime the inflow exceeds the plants capacity to process that we do discharge into the river for a short period of time that ended this morning. It is completely within the permit that we have with DEQ," said Kilpatrick.
Lansing homeowner Robert Hall is just frustrated with the city's seeming inability to fix the issue.
"I've lived here my whole life and my mother and I have cleaned up this house and not complained a whole lot, sometimes twice a year, and it's just ridiculous. Somethings got to be done more than this," said Hall.
"I really truly wish I could get somebody to give me some answers.My whole life is on hold," said Bokovoy.
Kilpatrick says a power outage did not affect any of the pump stations or the wastewater treatment plant. Mayor Schor says the city's number one priority right now is evacuating people from the flooding.
If you do have sewage in your basement call the city's public service department. However, if you're on a private sewer system, you need to call another service.
