ATLANTA, Ga. (CBS46) – A slew of sinkholes surfaced in metro Atlanta recently, disrupting the flow of traffic and upsetting neighbors.

As a result, the work never ends for GS Construction. Making repairs to aging infrastructure is a massive undertaking and the only way to avoid the issue of sinkholes.

“We just replaced some infrastructure in the Emory area that was from the 1910′s with wooden water lines. Last year we found a storm drain out in DeKalb County that was from Civil War era and made out of slate and had been sitting there for 150 years,” GS Construction Owner Alessandro Salvo said.

It turns out that old and failing pipes underground are often to blame for sinkholes forming on our local roads.

“I think that everybody is working very hard to upgrade, maintain and fix any problems. It’s just such a gargantuan task in such a large city that is as old as Atlanta is,” Salvo said.

During the past week, two large sinkholes opened. One on Ira Street in Atlanta, the other on Austell Road in Cobb County.

And while many local governments have worked to replace aging equipment, those repairs take years and can’t keep up with the population growth.

“It’s going to tax an older line, it’s going to cause problems, leaks. That’s why it’s important that we upgrade all of the old infrastructure,” Salvo said.

It’s a job GS Construction expects will take years to complete and even then, it may not prevent the problem.

“It’s not going to get fixed tomorrow. It’s going to take the next 10 years, 20-years depending on how fast the city grows. It’s an ongoing process that never ends really,” Salvo said.

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