GONZALES - An Ascension Parish resident reached out to 2 On Your Side regarding an ongoing drainage issue. Rhonda Gaughan says the parish's response to her complaints is to continue digging the ditch in front of her home deeper and deeper.

"However, water does not go uphill," said Gaughan.

For several years, Gaughan has been struggling to make sense of the situation. She says her drainage issues began when a ditch running across the street from her was enclosed and the direction of the water flow was changed.

"Now I have sewer sitting in my yard, which is disgusting as well as hazardous," she said.

Ascension Parish states that it has been in regular communication with Gaughan, and a DPW crew visited her property recently to assess conditions. A parish spokesperson says the area was previously excavated and "everything is currently at proper grade." 

"They think it works, but I think they're trying to make water go uphill," said Gaughan.

When it rains, water fills Gaughan's front yard. It fills the drainage ditch and overflows into her front yard, where it sits until it eventually drains and then dries up. A culvert diverts water from a cow pasture up the street and along Gaughan's property. A few homes down, another culvert diverts the water under the road once again. 

The parish says, "all drainage outfalls from this (Gaughan's) property run onto private lane, which we do not have the authority to access or modify." 

Gaughan is adamant that something needs to be done.

"It would seem to me that there needs to be another plan if my water cannot get to the actual drainage ditch it is intended to drain through," said Gaughan.

Last year, Gaughan submitted a work order to have her culvert replaced. The work order has not been completed. While the water still flows through the culvert, Gaughan says a replacement would be better suited for proper drainage.