The building of Yangxie Town Central Health Center in Shangzhou District discharges rainwater into a public drainage channel, but due to long-term inability to drain, neighbor Master Zhang suspects that the cracks in his house are caused by the health center's drainage. In response, relevant departments stated that Master Zhang can apply for a house appraisal and resolve the issue through legal procedures.


　　House shows cracks of varying degrees; drainage seeps into foundation

　　Master Zhang's home is in Yangxie Village, Yangxie Town, Shangzhou District, and his house is adjacent to the town central health center. "The health center's outpatient building was built in 1998, his house was built in 2002, and later the town health center built a comprehensive building in 2014." Master Zhang said that the drainage from the outpatient building and the comprehensive building all goes into the public drainage channel, but because the water cannot drain away, it directly seeps into the base of his wall.

　　On May 27, the reporter saw at the scene that there is less than 1 meter between Master Zhang's house and the health center's outpatient building. There are two drainage pipes on the wall of the outpatient building, and rainwater directly discharges into the channel. The drainage channel was originally hardened with cement, but has now collapsed and cracked. There is an outlet at the base of the health center's courtyard wall, and the courtyard's drainage also flows here, but the area outside the two walls is not hardened, so during the rainy season, rainwater seeps into the foundation.

　　Cracks of varying degrees have appeared in the rooms and living room on the first and second floors of Master Zhang's house, especially between the walls and the roof. "There were no cracks before. After the health center's comprehensive building was completed, all the rainwater was discharged into the public channel, which caused the wall cracks." Master Zhang said that he had reported the issue multiple times to the health center, the town government, the health and family planning department, and the letters and visits bureau, but without result.

　　Are there cracks in the house? Statements from the district health and family planning bureau and the town government contradict each other

　　On the afternoon of May 27, because it had just rained, rainwater on the other side of the town health center's outpatient building could not drain away and was flowing everywhere. Li Chongtao, director of the town health center, said that he was aware of the situation reported by Master Zhang and had reported it to the higher-level competent department, and the competent bureau had given a clear reply.

　　The Shangzhou District Health and Family Planning Bureau stated in a reply letter dated April 5: The outpatient building of Yangxie Town Central Health Center is side by side with Master Zhang's house, with a public drainage channel of about 1 meter in between, and the drainage from the adjacent houses all flows into it. When the comprehensive building was constructed in September 2014, there was no encroachment on Master Zhang's homestead. After an on-site inspection, no cracks were seen in the foundation or walls of Master Zhang's building.

　　However, Guo Hongliang, deputy secretary of Yangxie Town, gave a different account. "After an on-site inspection, there are cracks in the walls and floor tiles of Master Zhang's house, and the health center's water indeed cannot drain away." Guo Hongliang said that they coordinated and proposed that the health center harden the drainage channel, but Master Zhang did not agree.

　　Huang, a deputy director of the Shangzhou District Health and Family Planning Bureau who is responsible for handling this matter, said that he suggested Master Zhang himself apply to a relevant professional institution for an appraisal and resolve the issue through legal procedures.