CRISFIELD, Md. -- An engineering firm is telling the city to pay more attention and designate more money towards its drainage ditches. The city currently spends about $10,000 a year on maintenance.
There is about 26 miles worth of drainage ditches throughout the city, and the marathon-length system plays a big role in mitigating flooding. In recent years though, neighbors say the ditches are making the problem worse, not better.
"The last couple years the flooding has been, it's getting worse," said Jamie Holland. "It's been getting worse ever since Hurricane Sandy and part of the problem is ditches are clogged up."
Holland is a lifelong Crisfield resident, and he told us the ditches are no longer doing enough. So anytime a storm comes through or they get a high tide with some bad wind, saltwater flows out onto the roads and into peoples yards.
He said it's why the road in front of his house has been discolored and it's why trees in his backyard are dying.
City officials have noticed the same problems. In their efforts to find a solution, they've been talking with CDM Smith, an engineering firm.
The recommendation that came back from CDM Smith: Crisfield spends $332,000 each year to maintain the ditches and it's paid for with a stormwater utility fee of about $8.25 per month.
Holland said he would be 100% on board.
"Definitely, definitely, because it costs a lot more to maintain your vehicles going through this water everyday," said Holland.
One of his neighbors Mary Shenton is a little more skeptical though.
"Well if it was used for that purpose would be one thing, but the money that they[Crisfield officials] get they're not putting towards the drains and the flooding issues that's going on around here," said Shenton.
Crisfield's Mayor Darlene Taylor said this idea is nowhere close to a done deal. The city plans on forming a committee to explore any potential stormwater utility fees, and if this happens, Taylor said any extra costs for people would be phased in.