Matthew's rains exacerbate drainage issues for Raleigh businesses
WRAL NEWS AT 6:00 STARTS NOW.
>>> MURTHA FLOODING SWALLOWED
UP A RALEIGH BUSINESS PARK.
NOW, ON WRAL, BUSINESS OWNERS
ARE STILL STRUGGLING TO
RECOVER.
>> WITH MUCH OF THE FOCUS DOWN
EAST, SOME DAMAGED RALEIGH
BUSINESSES HAVE BEEN OVER
LOOKED IN THE PAST TWO WEEKS.
I'M GERALD OWEN.
>> I'M LYNDA LOVELAND.
CULLEN BROWDER JOINS US FROM
DURHAM DRIVE IN RALEIGH TO
EXPLAIN THE PERSISTENT PROBLEM
IN THAT AREA.
CULLEN?
>> Reporter: FOR YEARS, WE'VE
BEEN COVERING FLOODING IN THIS
AREA SOUTH OF TRYON ROAD BUT IT
HAS NEVER BEEN LIKE THIS.
THIS IS JUST A TINY AMOUNT OF
OUT WHATTER LOGGED DEBRIS THATS
THAT BEEN PULLED OUT OF THE 16
BUSINESSES HERE AT THE TRYON
BUSINESS CENTER.
I CAN TELL YOU, A LOT OF THESE
BUSINESS OWNERS ARE FRUSTRATED
THAT THE CITY AND THE PROPERTY
OPENER HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO
RESOLVE THE DISPUTE OVER
DRAINAGE PROBLEMS.
STILL SOAKED NEARLY TWO WEEKS
AFTER MATTHEW SWALLOWED THE
RALEIGH BUSINESSES.
THE HIGH WATERMARK STANDS MORE
THAN FIVE FEET OFF THE SOGGY
FLOORSS WITH MOLD AND MILDEW
SETTING IN.
MORE THAN A DOZEN SMALL
COMPANIES RANGING FROM PRINTING
TO REPAIRS TO PEST CONTROL ARE
STRUGGLING TO RECOVER WITH NO
FLOOD INSURANCE.
>> WE LOST EVERYTHING.
>> YOU'RE KEEPING ON.
>> WE HAVE TO.
WE HAVE A CUSTOMER BASE THAT WE
COMMITTED TO.
>> Reporter: MOSQUITO AND PEST
EXPERTS LOST VANS, TOOLS AND
SUPPLIES.
DOWN AND OUT BAIL BONDS LOST
09% OF ITS RECORDS AND
EQUIPMENT.
>> ALL THE COMPUTE ARE AND
AEVERYTHING WERE FLOATING.
IT TOOK THEM FROM THE DESK AND
THIS WERE FLOATING.
>> FRUSTRATED BUSINESS OWNERS
ARGUE THIS DIDN'T HAVE TO
HAPPEN.
FOR YEARS, WRAL COVERED THE
DISPUTE BETWEEN THE PROPERTY
OWNER AND CITY ABOUT STREET AND
PARKING LOT FLOODING.
STORM WATER MANAGEMENT ACCUSED
THE OWNER OF NOT MAINTAINING
PRIVATE DRAINABLE PIPES.
THE OWNER FIRED BACK THE CITY
PERMITTED THE PIPES PLUS
PROBLEMS DIDN'T START UNTIL THE
CITY CAUSED RUN OFF BY BUILDING
THE SERVICE ROAD.
THE TWO SIDES NEVER REACHED
RESOLUTION.
>> SOMETHING NEEDED TO BE DONE
AND SOMETHING WAS NOT DONE.
THIS COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED.
>> Reporter: THE HOPE NOW IS
THIS DEVASTATION WILL FORCE A
CHANGE.
>> HOPEFULLY, IT WILL BE
RESOLVED BEFORE ANYONE ELSE
GOES THROUGH THE SAME PROBLEM.
>> IT IS TOO LATE FOR YOU
THOUGH.
>> TOO LATE FOR US.
>> Reporter: FOR YOU, THE
PROPERTY OWNER ACTUALLY HELPED
A LOT OF THE TENANT TO CLEAR
OUT SOME OF THIS DEBRIS TODAY.
BECAUSE OF THE ONGOING DISPUTE,
HE DECLINED TO COMMENT.
THE STORM WATER MANAGER FOR THE
CITY OF RALEIGH DID ACCEPTED
OUT A STATEMENT SAYING HE IS
PURSUING A RESOLUTION BUT
AGAIN, BLAMED THE PRIVATE
PIPING ON THE PRIVATE PROPERTY.
SO THIS VERY MUCH LOOKS LIKE IT
IS HEADED FOR A LEGAL FIGHT.