By Mike Caputo
Recent rainstorms have left up to a foot of water at the intersection of Island Avenue and Fiske Drive in Woodmere, neighbors said. They attributed the constant flooding to two clogged sewers, which have been blocked by leaves, mud and other residue for several weeks and have yet to be cleared from the neighborhood, which is just south of Peninsula Boulevard.
"All of Island Avenue was under a foot of water and the cars were turning around," said Laurie Rapoport, a homeowner on Island Avenue for 29 years. "I can tell you that with absolute certainty that these catch basins have not been perpetually badly blocked as they are now."
While standing near the clogged sewers, a neighbor, who requested anonymity, looked at the mess with disgust.
"Nothing has been done," she said. "The sewers haven't been cleaned out in years."
She added that floods in the last two years have caused up to $40,000 in damages to her home, much of it to her basement.
Residents of nearby Woodmere and North Woodmere were not accustomed to the frequent flooding until a similarly wet month in October 2005, the same time the floodgates by Kennedy Airport were closed, which possibly contributed to that problem. The state estimated those 2005 flood damages in the area of roughly $12 million. At the time, residents were unable to gain assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Administration.
Regardless, a seemingly simple, yet grimy task of cleaning out the catch basins along Island and Fiske Drive would satisfy Rapoport and her neighbors.
As the weeks went on, Rapoport finally decided it was time to call the Town of Hempstead for help. But when she called the Department of Highways, Rapoport was not happy with the response she received. Rapoport alleged that a person at the town's Department of Highways would not give her any idea of when the sewers would be cleaned. This upset Rapoport, who said she believes it is a pertinent issue requiring immediate attention.
"I said 'enough is enough,'" Rapoport said. "You know, if I don't take action, then nobody is going to take action."
Town of Hempstead spokeswoman Susan Trenkle said the Department of Highways only received the one complaint about the clogged storm drains at Island and Fiske. She said a foreman was sent to assess the situation on Aug. 22, and the sewers are scheduled for a cleaning sometime this week. Trenkle emphasized the importance of residents speaking up on similar issues. She said residents should call the Town of Hempstead immediately to register complaints, which are typically dealt with quickly. Trenkle attributed the increased flooding across the town to the unique stormy weather that has hit the region.
"We have had extreme, extreme weather this summer," Trenkle said. "There have been rains and, yes, there was flooding because of the torrential rains."
During hurricane season, emergency preparedness is on people's minds, but Rapoport said it is important to fix the problems that exist now, like the blocked sewers.
"They are telling everybody to carefully prepare for hurricanes, but they are not doing anything to prepare the basic infrastructure that is going to protect our property," she said of town officials.
To file a complaint with the Town of Hempstead's Department of Highways, residents may call (516) 489-5000.
Comments about this story? MCaputo@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 210.
