Effingham County approves $775K fix for Hunters Chase drainage problems

EFFINGHAM COUNTY, Ga. (WTOC) - Residents in the Hunters Chase subdivision near Guyton have dealt with flooded yards and water creeping toward their front doors for years. Now, the county is moving forward with a nearly $775,000 fix.

The Effingham County Commission this week approved a change order for McClendon Enterprises to perform stormwater improvements along Labrador Lane and Hunters Chase Drive — a project years in the making.

What’s the problem?

The drainage issues trace back to how the neighborhood was originally designed when it was built around 2004 and 2005. The subdivision was built with driveway swales — shallow ditches designed to carry water away from homes — a standard that the county no longer allows.

County Engineer Jonathan Holm said those swales have proven ineffective over time.

“This is why our current ordinances do not allow the driveway swales,” Holm told commissioners. “Unfortunately, this is from past design standards that the county was doing a lot of back in the time that this neighborhood was approved.”

During heavy rain events, water has pooled in residents’ front yards with nowhere to go. In 2022, one Hunters Chase resident told WTOC the flooding got so bad she nearly had water at her front door.

“He called me and said, ‘I need you to come outside and help me get in the driveway’ because he couldn’t see our driveway to get in the driveway. And then I’m like holy moly, I opened the front door and there was standing water like six feet from my front door,” Alyssa Nickel said at the time.

What’s the fix?

The approved plan focuses primarily on Labrador Lane. Workers will install concrete storm pipes and curb inlets along one side of the road, add new curb on both sides, and fill in the existing driveway swales. That will push stormwater into the road, where it will be collected by the curb and gutter system and directed into the new storm pipe.

Holm said the water will still drain to the same general locations it does today — just far more efficiently.

“It’s going to have a lot more efficient way of getting there and being able to collect it instead of it being in the resident’s front yard,” he said.

The county considered other options, including routing water to a nearby pond, but ruled it out due to septic systems, utility conflicts, and easement complications.

What should residents expect?

The project will be disruptive. Crews will need to tear out driveways to install the new infrastructure, and residents won’t be able to use their driveways for several days while concrete cures.

“It’s going to be a handful, but worth it in the end,” Holm said.

The county plans to post flyers on the doors of affected residents and hold a public meeting in the neighborhood before construction begins to communicate the schedule and set expectations.

“This is going to be an extensive construction project with residents living there,” Holm said.

Work is expected to begin July 1st, funded through the county’s TSPLOST. Road resurfacing in the neighborhood — which has been on hold until the drainage issue was resolved — is expected to follow once the stormwater work is complete.

A long time coming

District 3 Commissioner Jamie DeLoach noted he had been hearing from residents about the road and drainage problems for years, describing the situation as severe.

“During some of the rough hurricane seasons with all the rain, I get pictures and videos of water almost coming in some of the folks’ houses that live in the back,” he said. “It’s been a lot of discussion.”

One commissioner acknowledged frustration with the cost but said the project reflects a broader push to hold developers more accountable going forward.

“I hate change orders, but in this case we have to do something,” she said. “I’m glad to see that we now have staff on board that will hold the developers more accountable so that we don’t have to fix, 20 years later, issues like this that the Effingham taxpayers have to pay for.”

The commission approved the change order unanimously.