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Residents tell Ironton City Council flooding continues as sewer project remains incomplete
Summary
At the Sept. 25 Ironton City Council meeting residents described recurring basement flooding and stormwater rising from manholes tied to an unfinished sewer and pump-station project; council said the city remains under an EPA consent decree and staff expects the new pump station to operate by October.
At the Ironton City Council meeting on Sept. 25, local residents urged the council to address recurring flooding and stormwater backing up into manholes and basements in the Green Valley neighborhood, saying the problem has persisted during heavy rains.
Frank Murphy, who identified himself as living at 71 Bourbon Street, told the council he had photos of water coming up from a manhole near his son’s home and said citizens have contacted the EPA. “Every time we get big rains, the stormwater comes back up out of that manhole,” Murphy said, asking the city to inspect and repair the system.
City representatives told residents the sewer/storm system work remains incomplete. “We’re still under a consent decree with EPA,” the Chair said during public comment, noting the city has been working with the Ohio EPA and federal EPA on combined sewer overflows and has an environmental attorney assisting the city. Staff said some sections remain combined and that the project includes a lift station and pump that should prevent future backups once operational.
Council and staff discussed technical steps the city will take after construction is complete, including smoke testing to identify private connections that improperly discharge into sewer lines. City staff advised residents to report whether the water backing into basements is clear rainwater (a property issue) or sanitary/sewer water (a city sanitation issue). “If it’s sanitation or sewer water coming up through your basement, then that’s a city issue that we need to know about,” the Chair said.
Residents also asked who is responsible for temporary pumps and how to notify the city when flooding occurs overnight; staff said the contractor (Allard) remains responsible until the project is formally turned over to the city and that an independent surveyor will work with the city engineer in the affected area next week. Residents requested advance notice of the survey visit.
Staff reported monitoring showing 4.53 inches of rainfall in a 24-hour period, which officials described as roughly a 25-year storm, and reiterated that the pump station is expected to be operational by October. City staff cautioned, however, that other parts of the overall project will remain unfinished and that some private property fixes may still be necessary.
Next steps: staff said it will coordinate the independent surveyor visit, continue coordination with the contractor, and pursue smoke testing and other follow-up inspections after project turnover; residents were advised to call the city immediately if they observe sanitary/sewer water in basements so the city can respond and document those incidents.
