Early flood-damage estimates at $355,000
BROWNSVILLE – The damage estimates are still coming in to the mayor’s office in Brownsville from last Thursday’s flash flooding, but preliminary figures list public damage at nearly $275,000 and damage to private property at nearly $80,000. The figures are expected to increase as more residents submit reports and as the true nature of the damage is revealed through inspections.
Mayor Norma Ryan said one woman had to pay $3,300 for repairs to her sewer line that became completely clogged with debris from the flooding.
One man whose damages were initially estimated at $8,500 said the actually damages were more than 10 times that amount, a figure not reflected in the initial estimate.
William Snodgrass of 1113 Water St. said damages to his house and trailer come to $96,000, including damage to two foundation walls. Snodgrass’ house was the terminus of much of the flooding in the Washington Street area.
“It went right through the middle of my house,” Snodgrass said. “The basement filled up with water, clear to the first floor. I had everybody’s garbage in my basement.”
Snodgrass was one of the Brownsville residents visited by U.S. Rep. Frank Mascara (D-Charleroi, who toured the area on Monday to survey the damages.
Mascara suggested that borough officials check the area on the Upper South Side where the three streams that caused last Thursday’s flooding originate to see if measures can be taken to prevent future flooding. Mascara said they may need streambank stabilization or to have debris cleared from the channel.
Councilman Jack Lawver pointed out where debris was removed from the mouth of the stream that emptied onto Washington Street and Second Street. The streambed is more than 10 feet deep in the area, but was nearly filled after the flooding.
“The (Fayette County) Bridge Department worked over here with their machinery and dredged all that out of here,” Lawver said.
“I’m going to be talking to Bill Sember, my chief of staff in Washington, D.C., now that we have the information that the mayor gave us and see what federal assistance might be available,” Mascara said.
Ryan presented Mascara with the preliminary damage report that indicated a need for $453,595 in assistance for damage to public and private property. The estimate including about $58,000 in repairs needed to flood-damaged roads. Ryan said the flooding damaged 58 homes and businesses and a nursing home remains vacant until repairs and disinfecting can be completed.
“People should absolutely be wearing rubber gloves when they are cleaning,” Ryan said.
Ryan said a pine cleaner or chlorine bleach should be used to sanitize and deodorize flooded houses.
In houses with unfinished basements, Ryan said that the Red Cross has suggested that lime be spread to held deodorize the area.
A garbage bin has been put out in the flood area for disposal of contaminated.
Ryan asked that it be used only for flood-damaged items.