DETROIT – It's been a rough few weeks and a rough few years for residents of the Victoria Park neighborhood and Jefferson and Chalmers on Detroit's east side.
Several people tell Help Me Hank they've lived in the subdivision for more than 20 years and almost never had any floods, at least until 2011.
Since then, they report three disastrous events in 2011, 2014, and overnight on July 8 of this year. "We had sewerage and flood waters coming into our homes and causing thousands and thousands of dollars in damage," Naomi Wheat told the City Council during an emergency meeting.
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Residents flooded Help Me Hank with phone calls after the storm that passed through Detroit that second weekend of July. Residents telling similar stories of their basements flooding with sewage in just minutes.
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They've been vocal with their questions: why no floods for decades and now three disasters in just five years?
Residents haunted by flood questions
The frustrated neighbors have been bombarding City Council with questions and the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department with questions. City Councilman Andre Spivey has been advocating for his constituents and there was a massive public meeting on July 20th.
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"Clearly, clearly there is something wrong with the city system," said resident LaDonna Ebelyn as she entered the City Council chambers on July 22nd.
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While residents are convinced there is a problem, city leaders tell Help Me Hank that pumping stations and treatment facilities have been working properly. Instead, they point to the unusual amounts of rainfall during those events in 2011, 2014, and 2016.
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"Five years and these are rainfalls unlike anything we've ever seen," said Palencia Mobley, Deputy Director and Chief Engineer at Detroit Water and Sewerage Department.
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She says the July 8th flooding is being investigated and a search is underway for short-term solutions that might help and the department is also looking for longer-term fixes as well.
Request for relief
During the afternoon meeting, nearly two dozen residents were told the City Council had passed a disaster relief request. That request was sent to the Mayor Duggan, Governor Snyder and the federal government hoping to get some financial assistance for residents. It's the first step in trying to free up funds for people who have been harmed by the flood disaster.
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Any resident who suffered losses must hold onto any receipts and be prepared to fill out claim forms as funds become available. There is also a Detroit Water Department claim form on the Detroit District 4 website.Â
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Residents are hopeful disaster relief may ease the pain of the latest flood, but not convinced the city is doing enough to prevent future disasters.
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"It's ridiculous. So, the city needs to step up to the plate, and do whatever they need to do to fix the piping, to fix the system," said LaDonna Ebelyn.
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On the other hand, the Water Department says storms may continue to grow in strength, and even the most perfect system may not be able to handle overwhelming amounts of rainfall.
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Residents left worrying and wondering every time rain clouds move in if they're homes will be safe.Â