As we welcome warmer weather, longer days and blooming flowers, we must also prepare for an unwelcome flooding event.
Below are recommendations and options that can be pursued to minimize flooding risks either in a basement or yard. The risk of flooding cannot be completely prevented, especially for those living in the floodplain areas, but in certain circumstances, there are options that can be done to a property to help mitigate the flooding and help alleviate some damage.
- Inspect flood protection devices such as backflow preventers, sump pumps, and battery backups, check valves, standpipes, etc., to make sure they are in good working condition
- Contact an authorized plumber to have your storm (rainwater) and sanitary (wastewater) lateral service pipes (running from home to street) inspected to make sure they are free of roots and debris.
- Contact an authorized licensed plumber for inspection and verification that storm lateral service pipes are not connected to sanitary lateral service pipe or vice-versa. These two lateral pipes should remain separate and connected separately to City storm and sanitary main pipes
- Make sure all exterior drains such as window well drains, outside yard drains, gutters, and street drains are clear of debris, leaves and any other obstructions
- Install an overhead sanitary stem to alleviate sewer backups
Learn more about the City’s efforts towards long-term flood mitigation at www.cityhpil.com/flooding.
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