Fight against flooding needs homeowners' help, city leaders say
City programs for private properties possible, but not soon
Brookfield might start looking at ways to address flooding-related problems on the private side of the sanitary sewer system, from voluntary or mandatory inspection programs to a city-subsidized effort to address suspected problem areas, one city official has said.
But that is still in the early discussion stages, so city leaders are continuing their push to educate residents about the flooding issues and sanitary sewer backups that have led to thousands of problems for property owners citywide and caused millions of dollars in damage the last two summers.
The problem-causing storms the last two Junes have surpassed the standards for a 100-year storm, which equates to about 5.9 inches of rain in 24 hours. Last June's rainstorm dumped 3.8 inches of rain on the city in three hours, and the June 2008 storm saturated Brookfield with nearly 6 inches of rain in an 8-hour span.
Brookfield's major water systems are designed to the 100-year storm level, and, Public Works Director Tom Grisa said, the city has spent millions of dollars improving its storm sewers and sanitary sewers in the last 10 years.
But that only addresses the public side of the infrastructure, Grisa said. Homeowners can have dozens of issues - from malfunctioning sump pumps to clogged gutters - that can contribute to flooding.
The latest instructional effort came last week in front of about two dozen residents, as well as a large contingent of aldermen and city employees, as Grisa shared information about the history of flooding in Brookfield and gave residents tips on how to address flooding or sewer backups on their property.
The presentation - available on the city's Web site, cityofbrookfield.com - is part of an educational campaign to make residents aware of what they can to do help stem flooding problems.
Mayor Jeff Speaker said it's important to inform residents about the issue.
"We'll try to get as many people educated as we can as quickly as we can," he said.
Grisa encouraged residents to look at the information on the city Web site or call and ask if they have any questions or problems in their neighborhoods.
"If you don't call, we don't know you had a problem," he said.
FYI
Who to call:
• For questions about how to improve drainage around your house or to determine if you have an illegal sewer connection, call the Engineering Department at (262) 787-3919.
• For questions about floodplains, call the Planning Department at (262) 796-6695.
• For re-ditching requests, call the Highway Division at (262) 782-5029
• To report a basement backup, call the Treatment Plant at (262) 782-0199.
AT A GLANCE
Some ways to improve drainage on your property and protect against basement backups:
• Properly grade your yard away from the house.
• Mudjack or replace settled patios, driveways or sidewalks.
• Raise window wells and install clay fill to promote drainage away from the foundation.
• Repair leaking and cracked basement walls and cracks in basement floors.
• Regularly clean out gutters and downspouts.
• Discharge downspouts over land and not to a storm sewer or ditch.
• Check sump pump operation regularly.
• Do not install mulch or floatable materials (firewood) in known drainageways as they can plug inlets and culvert pipes.
• Do not allow stormwater drainage or sump crock overflows to go down the floor drain.
• Do not bail the sump crock into the laundry tub, toilets or shower drains.
- Source: Brookfield Department of Public Works
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