DPW Leaf Collection Failure Exacerbates Recent Flooding
Statement of Alderman Robert J. Bauman
Residents in my district, and across the city, are irate. I can’t blame them. Less than a year after flooding caused damage to many, we are in the midst of the wettest April in Milwaukee’s history, with two weeks still to go and the possibility for more storms this evening.
We have heard that clogged catch basins are a prime reason why many streets have experienced flooding. While that is true, it would seem that the situation is, in part, self-inflicted by the Department of Public Works’ leaf collection catastrophe over the last 5 months.
The lack of leaf collection since November, with leaves now decomposing in soil mixed with trash, is the main cause of street flooding in most areas. This was foreseeable, and the reason we spend money to collect leaves in the first place.
It is only partially accurate to state that no sewer system could handle these storms. Ours could have handled it much more effectively if proper leaf collection had been carried out over the last 5 months. This issue was raised in multiple Public Works Committee meetings over the years while I was chair.
Moreover, I have personal experience to lean on. My own neighborhood is a mess of mud, leaves, and trash in the parking lanes that is obvious to anyone who passes through. While my neighborhood is on high ground with minimal basement flooding, street flooding has been widespread due to clogged catch basins, many of which remain clogged.
This situation is a failure of DPW operations, not in recent days, but over the last several months.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
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