You Asked: Who is responsible for county culverts?

Published 12:30 pm Tuesday, February 13, 2024

MOUNT ZION  — A resident in the Mount Zion Neighborhood Watch Group on Facebook asked who was responsible for cleaning the ditches and culverts along county roads. The answer is the county is responsible for maintaining the ditches. 

In fact, the county is responsible for maintaining from the backside of each ditch to the other. It is a question which has come up in previous meetings about debris cleanup and clearing brush along roadways. 

District 5 Supervisor Doug Falvey said sometimes the county has to unclog the culvert pipes in driveways. If the pipe is rusted out enough the county will replace it. He said back in the day when burning was more common the ditches did not get clogged up with leaves as much. 

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“We usually get a phone call from the property owner. We go out and do what we have to do,” Falvey said. “We appreciate any phone calls if you have problems with a ditch or culvert.” 

Drainage problems are usually not noticeable until a heavy rainfall inundates the system. If you are having problems with water draining, contact your district supervisor.