RUTHERFORD CO., Tenn. (WTVF) — A Rutherford County resident is searching for answers after his home nearly flooded this week, with the homeowner pointing to a newly opened elementary school as the potential cause of unprecedented water accumulation on his property.
Chris Matthews, who grew up in the area, says he has never seen that much water accumulate on the property until this week. The only major change nearby is a new elementary school that opened this year.
"My blood pressure was through the roof Tuesday when I came out, especially Monday night, and having to take off work to try to figure out what's happening and not get any response," Matthews said.
Matthews says a pipe has always led water toward his property, but now it's far more than before. He believes the issue stems from the school's drainage system.
"Once that retention pond fills up, it all flows this way. And I don't know where they expect for it to go," Matthews said.
Matthews and his fiancée, Marone Booysen, say they feel like the school system, the county and contractors haven't taken them seriously. They describe the situation as "a stressful few days."
NewsChannel5 reached out to Rutherford County Schools, who provided this statement: "We are aware of the drainage issues affecting some properties and neighbors near the school. This issue was discovered with the heavy rains we have experienced the past few days. Our engineering department has already spoken to some of the homeowners, and we are working with the contractor who built the school to work out a solution. Any homeowner who is experiencing drainage or flooding issues because of the school, they should contact our district office."
NewsChannel5 also called the general contractor, R.G. Anderson Company, and left a voicemail but hasn't heard back from them at the time of this publication. Rutherford County officials tell us they're looking into the issue.
The couple has heard from Rutherford County Mayor Joe Carr, who promised he would look into the issue and try to help them find a solution.
Matthews says he raised concerns about the drainage system to the school district a month ago.
"They said they were going to investigate it. We never heard anything else out. I seen them where they put their rosen hills across the head walls, and that was the end of it," Matthews said.
The couple says they want everyone to work together to fix the issue because this time the water didn't go inside their home. Next time, they say, they might not be as lucky.
"We're worried about spring, when it starts to rain a little bit more, that the House will completely flood," Booysen said.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at Patsy.Montesinos@Newschannel5.com
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- Lelan Statom
