Democrat John McNamara, a candidate for Ward 4 Common Council in November 7th municipal election, is urging the city to accelerate work on drainage and sewer main problems in Ward 4 and throughout the city in the aftermath of repeated flooding in neighborhoods during 2023.
“Every year for the last half dozen years funding has not been found or has gone elsewhere” said McNamara. “The city has not used available funds to fix the system’s biggest trouble spots. Residents should not have to wait another five years or more.”
McNamara cited flooding and property damages that have occurred five times in his own neighborhood on streets between Allen Street and Roxbury Road in 2023. “I have talked to residents in other neighborhoods in the ward and they have confirmed the dilapidated storm water and sewage drainage system has caused many problems.”
McNamara cited a five-year (2016-2021) analysis of natural hazards completed for the city that concluded: “Drainage infrastructure and water and sewer lines throughout the City need major upgrades……. Undersized pipes result in flooding, sewer backups, system leaks, and other problems.” According to McNamara , city officials began acknowledging the deterioration of the drainage and sewer system more than 30 years ago but bonding, state and local funds have largely gone to other capital improvement projects.
In a recent post on critical infrastructure needs in the Allen Street and Overlook Avenue areas McNamara wrote “improving the sewer and storm water system at two of its weakest points, has not been given a high priority. While other infrastructure projects have gotten attention and money in recent years, officials have told residents that they are waiting for the allocations to implement their sewer upgrades. In fiscal year 2020, for example, reconstruction of Allen Street was slated for action in 2022 at a cost of $5 million to be paid by a combination of state, federal or local funds. In the Capital Improvement Program (CIP) adopted with the municipal budget last June, the Allen Street project was put off again to 2027-2028 at an estimated cost of $6.7 million.
McNamara said the city has committed $6 million to upgrades in Allen and Overlook neighborhoods because of extreme weather in response to neighborhood complaints but has failed to use sufficient bonding or a portion of the $56 million in American Rescue Plan (Pandemic) funds to accelerate the city’s FLUSH Initiative estimated at a cost of $90 million. “Taking 20 years to implement the FLUSH program is too long to wait for homes and neighborhoods in the city’s most severe trouble spots,” said McNamara who called for more transparency in the information being provided to the public on the FLUSH program.
Saying extreme weather is a growing threat to property values and the health and safety of residents McNamara called for four steps over the next two years:
- Put storm water system upgrades at the top of the city Capital Improvement list.
- Use state and federal funds and bonding fairly to replace storm and sewer mains.
- Increase maintenance to prevent flooding and sewer backups.
- Build green infrastructure to sustain homes and neighborhoods.
Paid for by McNamara 4 Council Committee. Patricia McNamara, Treasurer. Approved by John McNamara. (Labor donated)
New Britain Alderman John McNamara 