Waterville still in major flood stage as National Guard steps in to help

WATERVILLE, Minn. (FOX 9) - The small community of Waterville, Minnesota, continues to battle historic flooding, as the National Guard arrived to provide some relief and residents continued to work around the clock to save their homes.

Water levels have yet to recede, after rising 15 feet since last week. City officials say it's too early to know how many properties were damaged, but at least one home had a basement wall collapse.

"There’s a long road ahead," said Logan Marzahn, who was helping a friend try to save their parent’s house Monday.

Marzahn watched as his aunt’s house succumbed to flood waters Friday, despite their efforts to protect it with sandbags and pumps.

"I’ve never seen anything near what we’re experiencing now," he said. "It's just crazy."

The city reports more than 131,000 sandbags have been filled since last Wednesday, and more than 1,600 people have volunteered to help. In addition, National Guard members are now providing around-the-clock support with a focus on protecting pump stations, as officials said a failure of the water treatment system would be catastrophic.

Police Chief John Manning says as of right now, the drinking water remains safe to consume, and the sewer system is still fully operational.

"Giving up is not in our DNA," said Manning. "That’s not something that’s going to happen. They’re going to keep pushing. Pushing until it's done."