At Mount Zion Cemetery in Collingdale, standing water and churned-up mud have left several graves sitting in pools of water, with sod ripped away and headstones partially submerged. Relatives say a failing drain pipe under a low-lying stretch of the property is the culprit, turning family plots into a soggy construction zone instead of a quiet resting place. Families are now searching for answers and wondering who is responsible for footing the repair bill.
According to CBS News Philadelphia, an unknown number of graves have been flooded, and borough officials told the station they have limited ability to intervene because the cemetery is private property. The station's video shows relatives sloshing between puddles to check headstones while borough representatives walk the grounds and explain where their authority stops.
Water Trouble With A History
This is not the first time water has torn into Mount Zion's hillside. A 2019 report from FOX29 described how a rain-swollen creek washed over a drain pipe, carving a deep channel through the cemetery and exposing vaults and caskets. The cemetery's then-owner, Joe Barbine, told the station he spent weeks backfilling the eroded trench and numbering plots so headstones could be returned to their proper places.
Who Is On The Hook To Fix It
Responsibility for repairing the pipe and restoring damaged plots falls primarily on the cemetery's owner and trustees, not the borough, according to legal notices. As recorded in the Delaware County Legal Journal, Mount Zion Memorial Park Inc. is listed as trustee of a Mount Zion Cemetery perpetual-care account. That filing indicates a trust exists for long-term upkeep, and relatives may be able to press the trustees or the Orphans' Court for answers about how those funds are being used.
Families In Limbo As Repairs Drag
Relatives who have visited the grounds describe shock and frustration at the sight of waterlogged graves and torn-up plots, along with uncertainty about when any real repair work will begin. CBS News Philadelphia's video shows family members walking carefully through puddled rows and stooping to examine submerged or mud-caked markers. It remains unclear when remediation will start or what steps the cemetery's trustees will take to stabilize and restore the affected area.
