Residents angry about iced over roads

WATERBURY, Conn. (WTNH) -- A slip and fall is part of everyday life for some Waterbury neighbors. They say their street is like a skating rink and the city's plumbing to blame.

It's a slippery slope for Ash Street neighbors as they battle sheets of ice just outside their doors.

"For ten years that I know of. It's just a constant problem every winter," said David Sypher.

"Walking out in the morning with my daughter, going to the bus stop, slipping. She almost slipped and fell," said Kelly Duval.

"It's extremely dangerous. I had a 4-wheel drive and I was stuck the other day for about 45 minutes," said Craig Devalda.

News 8 called the city and they said they would send out a sand truck. The sand is completely blanketed over the ice, but of course neighbors are looking for a more permanent solution.

"It's just emanating right out of the catch basin," said Joe Gerry, Chief of Staff for the Waterbury Mayor.

Chief of Staff for the Mayor's office Joe Gerry met News 8 on Ash Street. A small stream of water was found running out of a frozen catch basin and residents say it rarely stops.

"I was calling year after year after year and the neighbors say it's been going on for 20 years," said Geraldo DeJesus.

"I bet, I wouldn't be surprised," said Gerry.

He says they know of the problem and believe the water is coming from a couple streets over. Plus, there are about 50 icy spots like this one in the city.

"That's why we're trying to prioritize, get the worst ones first. Get the word out, get the worst ones first, there's an exorbitant number of them," said Gerry.

He says the problem here is high ground water but in other areas they're working to put in new catch basins. They run at about half a million dollars each.

"It's bad. None of these are good. I've seen several of them a lot worse than this one here on Ash Street," said Gerry.

"That's not encouraging a lot of residents say they fall because of this ice," said News 8's Simoni.

"It's not encouraging. I agree with you and I can assure you. Again, we'll be out here Monday morning and we're going to do everything we can to address this on a go forward basis," said Gerry.