Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Drainage And Flooding topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Residents urge action after severe backyard flooding; council and mayor outline short-term fixes and longer-term plans
Summary
Several West Haven residents told the council about repeated and severe flooding in the Ames Drive area after heavy storms; they cited clogged culverts, a breached berm at Contact Drive Park and lack of local storm drains. The mayor described immediate berm repairs, mapping and multi-phase capital work underway.
Multiple residents spoke during public comment about damage from recent heavy rains and asked the council for faster drainage fixes.
Joe Crocco of 134 Ames Drive said floodwaters reached 3.5 feet in his backyard on July 20, inundated an outbuilding and left yards like “a moat” after a berm at Contact Drive Park breached. He said culverts at Contact Drive and at the Seth Haley School were clogged with weeds and debris, and he urged regular maintenance or repair. “If this was maintained regularly and properly…that did not help,” Crocco said, arguing the berm installed roughly two years ago by Ivy failed to control the flow.
Tara Deal (126 Ames Drive) described repeated backyard and basement flooding that has cost her thousands because her homeowner’s insurance did not cover the damage; she asked the city to investigate and develop a long-term drainage solution. Tom McCarthy (82 Ames Drive) asked whether easements or connections to sewer/drain systems could be used to move water from yards more quickly.
Mayor Dorinda Borer told the council the city has mobilized immediate and longer-term responses: public works and contracted crews are clearing drains, Ivy was scheduled to rebuild the berm at Contact Drive, and the city has engaged consultants (CDM Smith was named earlier in committee work) to map drains and camera existing lines. The mayor said Lake Street requires a multi-phase repair (she referenced a roughly $4.8 million overall project with phase 1 estimated at about $2.3 million) and noted sand-moving and emergency permitting with state agencies had been used to temporarily protect beaches and access points.
The mayor said the city has purchased equipment, continues to replace catch basins and has a vac truck to clear lines; she warned that heavy runoff can carry debris that re-clogs drains and that dredging and other emergency work have logistical and wildlife-permitting constraints. Council members pledged to help find funding sources where possible and to follow up with residents.
Next steps: the mayor and public works will continue immediate clearing and berm repair work; engineering, permits and phased capital projects are being pursued for longer-term solutions.
