ATLANTA -- Homeowners across the city of Atlanta say shoddy work performed by the City of Atlanta has left them with flood waters, trash, even rats.

The City, however, said correcting the problem is not its job.

CBS 46 Investigates took the problem to a City leader who said this unfortunate scenario could happen in any Atlanta neighborhood.

“Trash. It’s like coke cans, glass, balls. I’ve seen shoes in here before!” exclaimed Carla Williams. The Adams Park resident said for years her yard has looked like a dumping ground because of trash left behind by constant flooding of her home.

“In a really heavy rain the water can actually get up to about a foot up into the house,” explained Williams, who has spent thousands of dollars repairing the problems.

Her neighbor Rosa Walton said that each time the water recedes, she’s left with smelly trash and even rats. “Oh God, they’re as big as cats. They’re extra large rats.”

The women say the real problems started around 2003 when the City of Atlanta replaced underground pipes called culverts that traverse their yards.

They say the culverts aren’t doing an adequate job of filtering the storm sewer water and debris. Instead, it all ends up in their yards or worst case, inside their homes.

Both women say they face resistance when they turn to the City for relief, despite the fact the sewage drain that connects to the culverts is adorned with the words, “Property of the City of Atlanta.”

CBS 46 obtained copies of letters the City of Atlanta had written to people with failing culverts from a variety of different neighborhoods, spread out across the City.

Each letter claims that the matter is private property and owner responsibility, stemming from what they say is a “totally private system.”

Councilwoman-at-Large Mary Norwood said she was not in accordance with that assessment. “I disagree with that,” stated Norwood, adding that the City should be taking responsibility.

Norwood said the backup is happening in City drains all over town.

“It could happen in Buckhead. That could be Northeast Atlanta. That could be here in Southwest Atlanta. We need a better system.”

But that will cost money, and even if Atlanta claims responsibility for the culvert mess, with current budget woes, they may not have any left to fix the problem.

Williams does not find comfort in the ordeal. “It’s completely frustrating. It almost feels like you are being victimized by the City of Atlanta. It’s very disappointing that the City of Atlanta can allow people’s property and homes to be flooded by storm sewer water and not do anything about it.”

Williams added, “This is a City, storm sewer pipe, and it’s not my responsibility to maintain this pipe.”

In the meantime, the City letters addressed to flooded folks across town ask that they contact the City for permission to work on the culvert problems in their own yards; Norwood is fighting to get the City to deal with the issue; and the City of Atlanta has paid out more that $9 million to settle watershed-related litigation in just the last three years.