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Constant rain causes major problems for St. Jacob, Il. homeowners

An Illinois woman said every time it rains, her backyard turns into a lake. She said the city is no help.

ST JACOB, Ill. — The constant rain in the forecast is not only creating problems for several cities, which continue to flood -- it's also becoming a major issue for many homeowners. 

An Illinois woman said that every time it rains her backyard turns into a lake. And according to her, the city is no help.

Danielle Farley moved into her neighborhood a few years because it was convenient for her and her children. But as time went on, she began to notice every time it rained her backyard would flood. 

She blames the city for the issue. The city said it's not their fault. 

"I just want help. I just want the city to help. I want them to do what's right," Farley said. 

As more rain appears in the forecast, Farley said it's getting harder to deal with each day.

"Within the last year, we've had a lot more flooding," she said. Every time it rains, water fills up her backyard and leaves it a complete mess. 

"It floods all the way to up to the concrete slab and to the top of my retaining wall."

Years ago, the city made a tunnel near her home to carry water through her backyard and into a stream, but she said that the system has never worked. 

"You can see that my yard is eroding. It's not fair," she said. 

5 On Your Side also learned Farley isn't the only person who is having an issue with flooding. 

"One inch of rain and in under 30 minutes we had a flood that starts over here, goes over behind me and covers half the yard," neighbor Ryan Arbuckle said. 

The city told 5 On Your Side that private pools built on top of the tunnel are the reason for the issue. It claims the pools are causing the tunnel to collapse and stop the flow of water, which in turn causes the flooding. 

"It's extremely frustrating," Arbuckle said. "We bought a house with a third of an acre and we can use two-thirds of our property."

For Farley, she just wants the issue fixed to save her home and her neighborhood.  

"It's dangerous. What if someone was to fall in my yard when its raining or be out here playing, one of the neighborhood kids?" she said. "My property value has dropped in the last year significantly. It kind of sucks." 

5 On Your Side spoke with the St. Jacob mayor Saturday afternoon about the issue. He said he plans to hold a meeting with neighbors in June to talk about a solution. 

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