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After heavy rains Troy officials say regional flooding was historic; residents report blackwater basement backups
Summary
City officials described April storm runoff as one of the larger events in more than a century; residents in the Westbrook neighborhood reported sanitary sewer ("blackwater") backups and council staff said inspections and follow-up are planned.
TROY, Ohio — City officials told the Troy City Council on April 7 that widespread rain and saturated groundwater produced an elevated regional river and storm event. City staff said the event ranked among the larger storms recorded in more than a century, and residents in the Westbrook subdivision reported raw sanitary sewer backups in several basements.
What officials said: City Manager Patrick Titterington briefed council that the Miami Conservancy District had initially predicted the storm could rank among the top five events in its history; the city’s data showed the event later ranked 12th in the district’s 103 years of records. Titterington said the city received just over 2 inches of rain on Saturday, following an accumulation of 5 to 7 inches earlier in the week; saturated groundwater and upstream flows exacerbated the peak.
He said staff preemptively cleared catch basins and that crews responded through the event; most stormwater reservoirs and detention ponds reached over-capacity. Titterington described several localized problem areas, including Westbrook and Stanfield Place, and said some basement flooding reported by residents was related to sanitary sewer surges rather than direct stormwater inflow. The city said it will continue inspections to identify illegal sump-pump or cross-connections and to evaluate necessary repairs.
Public comment and resident reports: In public comment, Richard Pittenger, a Westbrook resident, said at least five neighbors experienced "black water" in their basements after the storm and described recurring issues dating to about 2010. "This is at least three times," Pittenger said, adding that cleanup is an ongoing concern and that the issue poses a public-health risk. He provided his address to staff and asked the city to investigate possible broken pipes or improper connections.
City response and next steps: Officials said crews began pulling manhole covers and inspecting sanitary lines on Saturday and that some lines were observed receding by Sunday morning. The city noted the possibility of inflow and infiltration (I&I), illegal connections, or saturated groundwater contributing to sanitary backups and said it will map and inspect reported locations, and follow up with property owners and contractors where needed.
Ending: Council members asked staff to continue plotting complaint locations and to report back; the city said it will evaluate affected areas and schedule further inspections and corrective work as required.
