Homeowners blame repeated flooding on Draper’s infrastructure, plead for help

DRAPER, Utah – Sucking up water and cutting out soaked carpet pad is not how the Juarez family in Draper envisioned spending Labor Day.

“It was going to be a nice day off with the kids, we were going to go to the aquarium,” said Marley Juarez while laying out soaked towels on the family’s lawn.

For the second time in a month, the Juarez’ home along 13800 South in Draper has flooded during a heavy rainstorm. The last time was on August 3rd during Draper’s recording breaking deluge.

“It’s frustrating to do it over and over and over again, and every single time it rains you look out the window and think is this it, are we doing this again?” said Juarez.

Juarez says her family has owned the property for nearly 20 years, and it wasn’t until recently that flooding became an issue. Juarez says the problem is the city’s drainage system, a lack of curbing and gutters, and newer developments above her home on South Mountain.”

“The drains just get overfilled with water and the lids blow off,” she says. “And it seems like all the rain that’s collected from these developments up here just flows directly across this road and down what is our driveway.”

Twice now, the water has flowed directly into the Juarez’ backyard and into their basement, bringing mud and gravel with it. After the storm in August, the family had to replace their carpets.

“We got everything done, replaced all the carpet, finally got ourselves back to having a nice residential home and now it’s underwater again,” said Juarez.

On Monday, water also flooded the property of neighbor Quinn Horrocks.

“Today was about the same result; rain blew off two manhole covers, then it fills up my driveway, my yard is full of gravel, it even goes clear down the end of my property to the next neighbor,” said Horrocks.

Horrocks says he’s taken his concerns to Draper City on several occasions, asking for a review of the infrastructure in the area.

“We have no curb and gutter here, it’s a problem, it’s been a problem for 20 years,” he said. “The city engineer said it’s kind of on the plan for 2-3 years, well, we heard that 5 years go.”

“With all that development going in up there, there is no land to absorb that water and we’re on the downhill side of it,” said Juarez. “I’d love to see them take some time to really reevaluate the storm water system and see if we can’t figure out how to make it not flood across the road into our homes.”

KSL TV inquired about the flood issue on 13800 South and received this response from Draper City Monday:

“Draper City has actively monitored and cleared the existing storm drain system following the heavy rainstorms this year. The system is functioning as it should but our Public Works Department is going to recommend to the city council to fund installation of curb and gutter on 13800 South in the coming budget year in an effort to help with storm related flooding in the area. We feel for residents who have dealt with flooding in their homes and the stress that comes with that.” – Linda Peterson, Draper City Communications Director

KSL TV will continue to monitor the flood issue on 13800 South in Draper and the proposal to the City Council on funding for curb and gutter installation, updates will be posted.