Q&A
Discussions with administration and history of groundwater flooding
2:50:39
·
119 sec
Council Member Gennaro inquires about meetings between the community and the administration regarding flooding issues. William Scarborough explains the long-standing nature of the problem and the city's efforts to address it, highlighting the distinction between stormwater and groundwater flooding.
- The city has invested in addressing stormwater issues but not groundwater flooding
- The problem dates back to when the city took over Jamaica Water Service and ceased pumping water
- There is frustration over the city's stance that groundwater flooding is not their responsibility
James F. Gennaro
2:50:39
Thank you, Bill, if I may call you that Mhmm.
2:50:43
On the record.
2:50:47
You've you've obviously had meetings with the administration, and what does that, you know, you know, what has that yielded?
William Scarborough
2:50:57
Excuse me?
James F. Gennaro
2:50:58
You've you've had meetings with the administration Yeah.
2:51:02
I'm sure the community is maybe held town halls or something, and the administration comes down.
2:51:08
And what have you
William Scarborough
2:51:10
Woah.
2:51:10
You
James F. Gennaro
2:51:11
know, what does that result in it?
2:51:13
What about
William Scarborough
2:51:13
over the course of years.
2:51:15
You know, we've we've been dealing with this for quite some time.
2:51:18
The city and the commissioner re referred to it earlier, they have put a substantial amount of money into the flooding issue there are 2 issues relating to flooding in Southeast Queens.
2:51:31
1 is storm water, which is what they have addressed with sewage and so on, but they have not addressed the issue of the groundwater flooding, which has to be pumped out of the ground now.
2:51:42
And because that's difficult, the commissioner or the department is now trying to put that back on homeowners saying it's not the city's responsibility.
2:51:53
That we find very frustrating because they have stated from the outset that they knew when they started to stop when they ceased pumping the water that flooding would exist.
2:52:05
You go back to July of 1987 at a hearing on eminent domain when they were about to acquire.
2:52:12
Right.
James F. Gennaro
2:52:13
Yeah.
2:52:13
Because the city took over the Jamaican water service by condemnation.
2:52:16
Yeah.
2:52:16
And and then they started systematically shutting down the wells because the water was Both water and water quality.
William Scarborough
2:52:22
And but they
James F. Gennaro
2:52:22
pump it response.
2:52:23
When they need to to keep subway tunnels open and that kinda Right.
2:52:26
So at the time, when it was when it was I I I think the water service in its hay day, the Jamaican water service was pumping about a 100 MGD, I think.
William Scarborough
2:52:38
It was.
James F. Gennaro
2:52:39
So what is it?
