Pam Champaigne, 61, is digging a 300 foot long trench in an alley behind her home to alleviate a flooding problem.

She said every time it rains large puddles form in her driveway off Illinois St.

"I've had water that collects at the end of my drive way and it's always dirt and mud, dirt and mud and I drive it right into my garage and I was having to take wheelbarrows full of dirt out of my garage every summer, several times," said Champaigne.

According to Champaigne, the city used to use a road grater on alleys in the neighborhood, but when the worker retired in 2006, they stopped grating and the flooding began.

She complained to the city and they've come to fix the problem seven times, but they never solved it.

"I called the street department who did come out very promptly, and they were going to grade the alley, and they made it worse, so I called again and they made it worse, and they've been out a total of seven times, spending our tax dollars and they can't seem to do this properly," said Champaigne.

After dealing with the flooding for four years, it's starting to crack the driveway pavement. If it continues she may have to pay up to $3,000 to have the problem fixed.

"I don't know what to do with it, I'm going to lose it or something and I'm unemployed, I can't afford to replace my driveway, but if the mayor wants to give me a job with the street department I think I can do a better job," said Champaigne.

She doesn't even get a break in the winter, when ice melts in the muddy holes and creates very slippery patches. Often her car gets stuck on snow and ice when she exits her driveway.

In the summer the heavy rains often collect in large areas forming deep puddles that resemble small lakes.

" I call it Lake Champaigne," said Champaigne, affectionately naming them after her.

Champaigne said many of her neighbors drive SUVs or Pickup trucks that do better in mud or they park on a side street.

The city did not return calls from NewsCenter 16.