Water Runoff Causing Problems, Residents Say

The Salisbury Township Board of Commissioners has voted to allow its township engineer to investigate a storm water drainage problem that is affecting residents living on Irlyn and Foothill roads.

Irlyn and Foothill roads are private roads that are not dedicated to the township; therefore the township is not responsible for their upkeep.

However, residents living along both roads are asking the township for assistance in quelling storm water runoff they claim originates from Church Road, where a swale exists.

"We're not asking for a complete takeover. We're asking the township to do something about the storm water runoff," said Barbara Baldwin, a Foothill Road resident. "The runoff from Church Road is a major problem. We want to make our roads safe and passable. We need assistance and should not have to incur this cost."

Baldwin said a private engineer has completed impact studies that show storm water runoff from Church Road has exacerbated the flooding and damage situations on both private roads.

The residents say the township has responsibility for water coming from a public right-of-way drain.

"We need to move forward," said commissioners president James Brown. "We'll send the township engineer out and wait for a report back from him."