Ditch Dumping Reason for Drainage Problems

After last weekend's heavy rain, crews with the city of Prichard have been working to prevent anymore flooding in the area.
On Thomas Avenue, the public works department has been clearing ditches and drainage pipes.
What crews discovered is that the reason for the flooding in most areas is because people have been dumping their yard debris and other trash into ditches which clogs up the pipes.
"When the leaves and stuff -- they get in the drains and that causes a blockage. Also the debris that's on the street, the litter, It just makes a block on our drainage," said Prichard Public Works Director Malachi Jones.
When all the drainage pipes within the city of Prichard get backed up from debris, it costS $50,000 dollars to clean them out.