HANOVER COUNTY, Va. (WTVR) - A Hanover couple says that for nearly four weeks they haven't been able to take showers, use the toilet, and wash clothes or dishes at their home along Peaks Road.
"It's a beautiful county except for right now--where it looks like I have the circus coming to town," said Sheri Millikin.
Millikin calls her front yard a swamp land.
According to the Millikins, the roadside ditch in front of their home is the biggest source of their problem. They believe the roadside ditch is blocked.
“You’ve got this combination of improvement of homes and businesses. But then VDOT has to allow for the additional run-off,” Robert Millikin said.
The couple says when it rains the water is seeping into their front yard, causing it to flood their drain field and overflow their septic tank.
They’ve spent more than $1,000 to pump the water out, and put blue tarps down to keep the water from backing up inside their home.
The Millikins have complained to Hanover’s Public Works department. The county referred them to VDOT which maintains the drainage system because it’s on a state-right-of-way.
But they say the process of getting answers to the problems has been beyond frustrating.
"Somebody, get along, play nice with each other-- cut the red tape,” said Millikin. “If you need scissors, I have some."
Tuesday, CBS 6 cameras spotted VDOT crews cleaning the roadside ditch. A spokesperson told CBS 6 it took them several weeks to respond because special equipment had to be brought in to clean the drain.
VDOT said the drainage system is functioning properly, and while they're happy something is being done, the Millikin family said it shouldn't have taken this long.
"It shouldn't be this hard to just simply get some help from the people in charge,” said Sherri Millikin.
"We're not about to move,” said Robert Millikin. “We'd rather fight to fix the property.”
"I have Multiple Sclerosis and Crohn's Disease. And when you have Crohn's having a toilet is not a luxury,” said Sherri Millikin. “It's a necessity."
