Lower Makefield Township residents voice concerns after last month's flash flooding
LOWER MAKEFIELD, Pa. (CBS) -- Neighbors impacted by flash flooding last month in Lower Makefield Township say they are struggling to recover and worried about the future of their homes.
They took their concerns to township leaders Wednesday night.
It's been three weeks since a flash flood hit Lower Makefield.
RELATED: Search ends for missing 9-month-old swept away in Bucks County flash floods
People who live in the affected areas say they want to know what the plan is to make sure they are safe in their homes moving forward.
"We need a short-term plan that includes keeping us safe, not something that is going to drag out for years," a man said.
Lower Makefield residents giving it everything they got and taking matters into their own hands.
Neighbors say they’re happy something is being done to fix the erosion Mother Nature caused, but they feel their concerns aren’t being heard.
— Nikki DeMentri (@nikkidementri) August 2, 2023
We hear from them and the township at 5/6 on @CBSPhiladelphia. pic.twitter.com/Q7HZOD6qAm
"Our family has already conceded and knows they have to do without things they had before, that we paid for, we owned and took care of it and now it's gone," the man added.
They showed up to the Township Board of Supervisors meeting Wednesday night to get answers about the flooding near their homes.
They say they want a long-term fix, a detailed plan about how the township is moving forward and better communication throughout the process.
"Half the house is unusable at this moment," April Bollwage-Cloer said.
Bollwage-Cloer lives on Maplevale Drive and has a massive hole in her backyard. Her belongings are ruined and she can only live on the top of her house.
"We want to know how we can be safe in our homes. How every time there is a storm warning or every time it rains, that these people are not up 2 o'clock in the morning turning on their lights, going out with flashlights to make sure their streets aren't flooded. That's what we want," Bollwage-Cloer said.
The Gambles also live on Maplevale Drive and say their house is damaged, too.
They even lost eight cars while they had people over.
"We don't want to be flooded anymore. Four floods is enough for one lifetime," said.
Lower Makefield Township says the issue is complex. They say they have engineers in the area to evaluate the storm water and upstream conditions and are working towards a permanent fix.
"We need to be comprehensive and holistic in our issues moving forward and we are committed to doing that," David Kratzer Jr., the Lower Makefield Township manager said.
The Township says they are working with county state and federal officials to help with the cleanup efforts.