DETROIT (WXYZ) — City crews are working to repair a sinkhole on Detroit's east side near Van Dyke and Grinnell after the city learned of the issue earlier this spring.
The gaping hole in the alley between Knodell and Edgewood near Erwin has become the site of a sewer main repair and a source of frustration for nearby residents.
"Seeing it like this? Terrible. Bad," Marilyn Harris said.
Harris has lived in the area for decades and says a sinkhole first formed in her alley around two years ago.
"The cave-in was much smaller than you see now because now we've excavated and dug up the sewer to repair it," said Bryan Peckinpaugh of Detroit's Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD).
DWSD officials say they first became aware of the issue in mid-April after receiving reports that part of the alley had caved in. They determined a 24-inch city sewer line had collapsed.
"Fortunately, it's a trunk sewer, so it's no houses or businesses attached directly to that sewer. So, it’s fed from other sewers. So, it’s not impacting- it didn't cause any water in basements of any residents," Peckinpaugh said.
However, Harris and her neighbor Alice Sinclair believe the collapsed sewer is responsible for sewage backups in their basements.
When asked if the collapsed trunk sewer could impact lines connected to homes, Peckinpaugh acknowledged the possibility.
"There's always a possibility it would have some impact, but we want to investigate and see what the cause is," Peckinpaugh said.
Sinclair described ongoing issues with basement flooding during heavy rainfall.
"Every time it rains, it rains heavy, it goes into the basement, and it fills up. And then I had to buy a furnace—not a furnace but a hot water tank," Sinclair said.
The replacement water heater cost Sinclair $500.
DTE Energy is also on scene to secure a utility pole as contractors dig up concrete to repair the sewer main and address the sinkhole.
"We also have to coordinate with telecommunications cause we gotta move the wires up because it's in the way of the excavator who was gonna dig and do the repairs, so we expect a repair in a timely manner," Peckinpaugh said.
DWSD encourages anyone concerned about basement backups related to this collapsed sewer to file a damage claim. You can find information about filing claims here: https://detroitmi.gov/departments/water-and-sewerage-department/dwsd-customer-service/dwsd-damage-claims-sewage-backups
