WARREN Plan is expected to control flooding

Another meeting to discuss the study will be in about two weeks.
By DENISE DICK
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- The city's water pollution control department has devised a multiyear, multimillion dollar plan it hopes will help eliminate flooding like what plagued residents last summer.
Tom Angelo, director of the water pollution control center, introduced a 109-page comprehensive sewer systems master plan to council's sewer committee Tuesday. Another meeting will be set in about two weeks to answer more questions.
"This project is a proactive approach to doing what I believe our citizens want us to do, and that's getting water out of their basements," Angelo said.
Costs
Eliminating combined sewers downtown would cost more than $3 million, with work expected to be done over three or four years.
Infiltration and inflow study would cost about $145,000 this year to buy 30 flow meters and sign a contract with an engineering firm to conduct the study. The contract would continue through 2007 and total from $50,000 to $100,000 each year, according to the document presented to council members.
An infiltration and inflow study would involve installing the flow meters in areas of the city identified for flooding problems. The meters would determine the sources of infiltration and inflow of water into the sewer system between manhole covers.
Results would be submitted to an engineering company for review and a recommendation.
A study conducted after last summer's heavy rains and basement flooding determined that storage and footer drains presented the greatest potential to cause flooding. The drains can cause waste from the sanitary sewers to come through basement floor drains or sump crocks.
Plans are in the works to implement a process by which homeowners who disconnect their footer drains from the sanitary sewer system could receive reimbursement from the city on a sliding fee scale.
Inspecting downspouts
Another measure is implementation of a downspout inspection study in which city employees would inspect homes for potential violations. The cost would run between $15,000 to $20,000 annually.
Councilman Gary Fonce, D-at large, was concerned about costs and the department's ability to take on the additional work with limited manpower.
Angelo said the department has money coming in since council enacted a sewer rate increase last year.
"We structured the program to meet the money coming in," he said. "One of the reasons it's going to take three to four years to get the infiltration and inflow study done is because of the shortage of money and manpower."