County drops eviction bombshell on Spring Lake residents without water

SPRING LAKE, NC (WTVD) -- Spring Lake residents who live in Garden Grove have been without running water for two weeks. Now, matters have gotten worse.

Cumberland County dropped off a letter on their doorsteps that stated they must move.

"What are we supposed to do with our home in the process? Are we just supposed to leave everything that we worked for?" asked resident Aneca Glover. "We weren't prepared for this to happen to us, especially when you are paying your bills for where you stay. "



Garden Grove is a low-income community of people who own their mobile homes but rent the land. The Spring Lake town manager told ABC11 that the property owner has a water bill backlog of about $60,000, but is nowhere to be found.

"That's what they've been doing. Just taking our money and ain't been paying nothing," said another resident, Charles Moore.



He has lived there for 12 years but is faced with making a big move on little income.

"I'm trying to move my trailer. I'm 77 years old. This is my home I just can't up and leave my home any kind of way at my age," Moore said.

According to Spring Lake officials, the water pipes haven't been maintained through the years. They've referred to it as an environmental issue.



ABC11 emailed and called Cumberland County to ask how much time it is giving residents to move and why it backtracked on its statements of wanting to turn the water back on.

County officials have not responded.

The letter delivered to residents also contained contact information for local homeless shelters.

"They telling me to go live in a homeless shelter. For what? I own my home," said Edward Greshan. "Why would I want to do something like that?"



Residents are considering their legal options.