Flood victims reach boiling point

For weeks, their anger has risen as quickly as the water that flooded their basements on June 6.

And, on June 15, residents took their frustration to the street during an impromptu rally, demanding the city’s help with the ravaging waters that have entered their properties this month and last summer.

Jack Noonan, a Democratic committeeperson, organized the gathering held outside the nearby Philadelphia Performing Arts Charter School, 2600 S. Broad St.

The resident, who posted and distributed fliers about the meeting throughout the area, did not personally experience a flooded basement. Instead, he acted on behalf of those who did.

The lack of city involvement during the crisis prompted the meeting, said Noonan, of Broad and Shunk streets.

"If Mayor Street does not call me by Friday [June 17], we’re blocking off Broad Street," Noonan said last week to a crowd of more than 100 residents outside the building.

As the meeting progressed, residents did storm onto Broad in protest, many of them trading stories that were ripe with anger. Police, who blockaded portions of the street, would not permit cars to pass as the rally continued for about an hour.

While there were variations in where the water emerged in their basements or what was actually damaged, residents were united in saying the city needs to conduct a thorough investigation of the entire sewer system.

Local business owners also took their place on Broad Street’s hot asphalt.

Theresa Stolfo, owner of Forever Young Daycare, 1125 W. Moyamensing Ave., and Stolfo Funeral Home, 2536 S. Broad St., was astonished that the basements at both establishments were flooded.

"This is a health hazard," she said. "It’s not just clear water. It’s highly contaminated sewage."

Earlier that day, a notice from the Water Department greeted John Dougherty as he arrived at his residence on the 1300 block of Wharton Street.

He was informed a curb trap, a portion of the sewer drainage system underneath his sidewalk, needed repair work. Dougherty, who said he forked over $4,000 last year to replace the piece, maintained he never spoke with the inspector.

The violation states, "your water service shall be shut off if the condition in violation causes further damage or poses an imminent danger to another property or to the water main or sewer." Dougherty has 10 days from the date of the notice to rectify the problem.

The resident views the violation as a quick fix for flooded basements.

"What are they going to do? Have 100 people replace their curb traps and call it fixed?" he posed. "It’s not a plan. It’s inspectors going around to try to Scotch tape things."

THE WATER DEPARTMENT is sticking to its claim that basement deluges are the result of exorbitant amounts of rain in a short period of time.

For example, the storm on June 6 produced 1.5 inches of rain in a span of 20 minutes, equivalent to a 25-year storm, the department said.

Sewer maintenance crews inspected a handful of locations this month only to find no significant accumulation of debris that would result in flooding.

Presently, there is no citywide investigation of curb traps that, if defective, could mistakenly relocate water into a residence, said Laura Copeland, a spokesperson for the Water Department.

Flooded basements were old hat to a handful of residents at the rally, especially those that receive water in all types of rainstorms.

"For 30 years, I’ve gotten water in my basement. We get a half an inch of rain, I get water," said John Capozzoli, of the 2700 block of Cleveland Street.

Although he has installed a submersible pump and contacted city officials for help, the water continues to flow into his residence, said Capozzoli, 41, who was perturbed none of his elected representatives made an appearance at the rally.

"We’re good citizens of South Philadelphia. We pay our taxes, but our basements keep getting flooded," he said.

Other residents received a letter from City Council President Anna Verna with an attached response from Water Commissioner Bernard Brunwasser.

Placing the blame on heavy rain, Brunswasser’s letter also stated the six blocks that were investigated seemed to have small separations between the basement elevation and sewer elevation, causing these blocks to flood.

But many residents were not buying the city’s response.

"It’s an insult for anybody with a half a brain," yelled one resident at the rally.

As the crowd gathered, resident Don Valentino stood his ground in the middle of Broad Street.

With help from his sons, Valentino removed water from the basements of four elderly residents on the 2700 block of South 16th Street during last summer’s deluges.

While glad to help his fellow neighbor, Valentino has become increasingly frustrated with the city’s inaction despite constant flooding during heavy storms.

"We should be able to leave our house and not worry that every time it rains, we might have a flood," he said. "This is no way to live."