Detroit residents recovering from last summer's floods victimized by another round of heavy rain

Basements flooded in neighborhood on Detroit's east side

DETROIT – The past two days of rain have flooded more than a few basements in Metro Detroit, but some residents on Detroit's east side are still recovering from a flood that happened last summer.

Many people got settlements from the city, but some are still in litigation. One woman got her settlement not long ago only to have another washout Tuesday.

"When I came downstairs, the water was to here," Barbara Elkins said. "Later, it was to here."

Driving to Elkins' house is tricky as flooded streets and a large downed tree across Conner Street and Essex Avenue show the intensity of the rain.

"Before I could get to the stairs, I could hear the water coming up through the drain," Elkins said. "I knew what that meant. Here we go again. There goes my new washer and dryer and water heater."

The water had to go somewhere, and it went rushing into basements on the block.

"Every rain event is different, so we'll have to investigate to see what occurred," said Palencia Mobley, chief engineer at the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department.

Last summer, the sewage and water backup was partly the city's fault, but this time, the cause isn't yet clear.

"This appears to be an isolated incident to this specific block and this specific area," Mobley said.

It's another round of devastation for homeowners, and this time it could be a total cost to them.

"This is where we had our family functions," Elkins said. "We didn't rent halls, and it's destroyed."

Residents with problems can call DWSD at 313-267-8000 so officials can address the issues directly.

You can watch Jason Colthorp's full story in the video posted above.


About the Authors

Jason is Local 4’s utility infielder. In addition to anchoring the morning newscast, he often reports on a variety of stories from the tragic, like the shootings at Michigan State, to the off-beat, like great gas station food.

Derick is the Lead Digital Editor for ClickOnDetroit and has been with Local 4 News since April 2013. Derick specializes in breaking news, crime and local sports.

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