Water main breaks plague Berrien County neighborhood

BERRIEN COUNTY, Mich. -- Some residents along the Benton Township, St. Joe city lines say their neighborhood has been plagued with water main breaks and flooding problems.

The Bombergers say they've replaced the slippers by their bed with rain boots because a water main by their home has broken three times in the past year.

It broke again Thursday night.

The Bombergers woke up in the middle of the night to water shooting out of the ground and running into their home.

They say they just finished cleaning up their home from the last flood – which happened just five weeks ago.

"We're afraid to leave the house, now have a fear to go away on vacation because what is going to happen to our house?! They are not fixing the problem they are putting band aids on the problem,” said Valerie Bomberger.

Because of the repeated floods, the Bombergers have spent well over $8,000 on home repairs.

They say the city tells them it is not the city's responsibility to come up with a long-term fix for the pipes.

"Their attitude was that they were just the maintenance people. There was nothing they could do,” said Valerie.

The Bomberger family says they have reached out to St. Joe Township for help.

At this point, they desperately need the infrastructure to be replaced.

"I'm at breaking point now. I don't know what to do. I just don't know what to do and no one seems to care,” said Valerie.
 

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