The Rainy Season is Here!

Fall 2010 has arrived and with it the rainy season.  It is time to clear our storm drains and make sure that our downspouts are flowing away from our homes.  However, for some residents this may not enough to keep their homes from flooding in the case of a storm event.  These concerns are real; our neighborhood has well-documented problems with its sewage and storm water conveyance system, in the 2006 Wastewater Systems Plan. See chapters 6 and 7 for discussion of sewage backups, including references to areas in Broadview.

Some of you will remember the storm event of December 2007. It had a grave impact on Broadview residents who found their homes flooded with storm and sewage backups. Claims were filed with the City and many claims were denied. Residents were  told that it was an unprecedented storm, a “100 year storm”, and were denied on that basis.  However, common sense shows us that strong storm events are happening with more frequency.

A group of concerned neighbors formed the Broadview Taskforce on Sewage and Storm Water Overflow. With the support of the Broadview Community Council and local engineers, we began asking tough questions and demading answers about what is going on underneath our streets that is causing these back ups.   In early 2010, in response to our concerns, the City made repairs to the corner of 115th and 1st Avenue, and to 105th.  In July 2010, Seattle Public Utilites, led by Martha Burke, completed a two-year study of our area with recommendations and solutions. See the Study here. Three years later, we remain committed to working with the City and King County.  We have made Broadview’s concerns, part of their agenda and we will continue to demand working and viable solutions for our neighborhood.

Broadview residents should not have to worry each rainy season about having sewage back ups’ in their basements.  The City acknowledges the problems.  However, the  solutions to create a functioning sewer and storm water systems are both complicated and integrated.  As residents of Broadview we need to keep vigilant, and demand that the City continue to address the issues of sewage and storm water overflows in our homes, our environment, our park, and our watershed.

Here is a video link to how Everett Residents have faced  sewage and storm water overflow in their area.