Politics & Government

City Still Cleaning Up from Flooding

5 inches of rain July 18 took a toll on Strongsville

City crews are still cleaning up debris that blocked storm sewers and creeks and contributed to after a heavy rainfall July 18.

Service Director Joe Walker said the city's sewer plant at Pearl and Sprague roads recorded 5 3/4 inches of rain.

"That just exceeded everything I'd ever seen," Walker said.

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It led to high water in yards, along roads and in basements.

"Nothing is designed to handle that," Walker said. "A lot of people who haven't gotten water in their basements in a long time got it this time."

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City workers spent the following week clearing branches and other debris from creeks and storm sewers. Walker said the huge amount of rainwater carried large chunks of debris into the waterways, contributing to the flooding.

Reports of flooding in yards and basements were rampant, from the Westwood Farms subdivision to Ledgewood and all areas in between.

Ward 2 Councilman Ray Haseley’s phone began ringing at 6:30 a.m. July 19. He said the four wards combined received more than 175 phone calls from residents, and that doesn't count the calls to  directly. 

“None of us were exempt from the flooding this time around,” he said. “Once the sewer lines were full, there was just no place for it to go.” 

Most of the calls Haseley received were in regards to sewer backups. 

Walker said he is still compiling a report on the flooding for Mayor Tom Perciak.


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