WARREN Residents hear how to curb basement flooding

Eliminating combined sewers downtown would benefit the whole city.
By DENISE DICK
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- The city eliminating combined sewers downtown and homeowners directing downspouts away from houses, installing backflow preventers and installing sump pumps are two ways to help alleviate basement flooding.
Tom Angelo, director of the water pollution control center, made a presentation Tuesday to residents who experienced flooding.
Most city residences use open sanitary sewer systems, which have footer drains that lead into the sewer. Some homes also have downspouts leading to the footer drains. That brings stormwater into sanitary sewers, causing flooded basements.
A closed system has footer drains leading into the storm sewers.
Angelo said the city is proposing a program using $300,000 from water pollution control and $50,000 from the storm water utility to remove footer drains from sanitary sewer lines in the city.
Homeowners would be eligible for between 50 percent and 90 percent subsidy from the city, depending on their income, Angelo said. Those in targeted areas of the city would be selected for the work first.
Average cost per home
He estimated the average cost for the work at $2,600 per home.
The city also wants to eliminate combined sewers -- those with shared storm and sanitary sewer lines. That would reduce inflow of storm water into the system, benefiting the whole city, Angelo said.
Plans for the separation started in 1988, but residents' rejection in 1995 of a storm water utility fee put those plans on hold. At that time, the cost was estimated at $12 million to $15 million.
"Right now, there are no funds available," Angelo said. "Right now, nothing can be done."
Last week, council members rejected a plan to increase sewer rates from $1.98 to $2.74 per 100 cubic feet of water for city residents and from $2.79 to $3.85 for nonresidents. That increase was because of an anticipated shortfall in the water pollution control department.
City officials attribute the shortfall to decreased revenue for the department caused by companies reducing water use, decreased population and decreased industry.
In casting their no votes, some council members said they wanted to know how much of the increase would go to projects to alleviate funding.
Breakdown for increase
Angelo said that 53 percent of the increase would go to operation, maintenance, replacement and capital; 15 percent would be for reserve; 11 percent of the subsidy for footer drain removal; and 20 percent for construction.
Operation, maintenance and replacement includes electric, gas, gasoline, chemicals, computer, sewers and payroll for the department.
The proposed breakdown for subsidy and construction is dependent on council voting for the proposed projects and allocating required funding, Angelo said. The breakdown also is dependent on revenues remaining stable and is subject to adjustment if revenue declines, he said.
denise.dick@vindy.com