Floods, Basements, Power Lines & Other Rainy Day Concerns Addressed
(City of Ferndale Press Release, Oct. 28, 2015)
 
Metro Detroit’s spring and summer rainy season can cause a lot of concern among residents, particularly after last August’s catastrophic flood.
Though Ferndale and surrounding communities have seen several significant rainfalls this season, the news so far is good: Ferndale’s Department of Public Works (DPW) has received only one service request to investigate water in a basement. Typically by this time, they would have fielded a hundred or more similar calls.
The reason for the drastic reduction in water issues: new sewer maintenance equipment, including a specialized camera that allows DPW to locate and resolve issues before they result in floods.
“We have inspected, cleaned, or televised many thousands of linear feet of sewer pipe with this new equipment,” says DPW Director Loyd Cureton. “We’re working proactively to eliminate basement sewer flooding, and its working.”
So, what about the streets? When heavy rains fall and water collects or pools on streets, should concerned residents contact DPW? Cureton says that in most cases, the answer is actually no.
“Many of our streets are designed with special restrictor plates to slow the entry of storm water,” Cureton says. “Pipes can only hold so much, so a heavy rain in a short period of time could overwhelm them. The idea is that we would rather flood streets temporary than flood residents’ basements.”
The bottom line, says Cureton: “If street water drains within an hour or so, it’s designed to be that way.”
Points to Remember for Stormy Days

>There’s no need to contact DPW about street flooding, as long as the water begins to drain within an hour.
>Call or contact DPW if you notice basement flooding, property damage, or if streets fail to drain an hour or more after the rain stops.
>In the case of a flood or flash flood, don’t attempt to walk or drive through floodwaters. Turn around and go another way. If you are caught on a flooded road, get out of the car and move to higher ground.
>If a power line comes down during a rainstorm, keep at least 20 feet away and call DTE’s 24-hour reporting line at 800-477-4747. Never touch or drive across a downed power line.
Republished from City of Ferndale: http://www.ferndalemi.gov/Visiting/News/ArtMID/1568/ArticleID/271/Rain-and-Flooding-When-to-Call