Residents of one block with severe pooling of water in the street may soon have that problem eliminated, and get new storm drains to boot. Other blocks in the area will also be getting sewers and storm drain improvements.
Homeowners on Fairfax Avenue between Fairmont and Waterbury avenues, Ellsworth Avenue between Fairmont and Waterbury avenues, and Baisley Avenue between Fairfax and Throgmorton avenues are scheduled to receive wider sewer mains and storm sewers.
According to the Department of Design and Construction, the specifics of the plan are still being finalized. However, a letter sent to homeowners in the area included general information about the project, and many house foundations have already been inspected in preparation for the work.
“The infrastructure improvement may include the replacement [and] installation of 8-inch diameter water mains, 10-inch diameter sanitary sewers, and 18-inch diameter, 24-inch diameter, and 30-inch diameter […] storm sewers,” the letter from DDC read.
The storm sewers may relieve a problem several homeowners on Fairfax Avenue say they experience whenever there is heavy rain. According to these residents, water flows down the street from Waterbury Avenue because of a dip in grade, and then ponds.
While the water eventually does drain through a manhole near the corner of Fairfax and Waterbury avenues the new storm sewer might clear the water out faster.
“I have been living on Fairfax Avenue for 12 years, and water shoots out of our drains during heavy rains because our sewer main simply cannot handle the volume of water,” one homeowner near the corner said. “Some basements get flooded. Hopefully, this will ease this problem. We were supposed to get this improvement 30 years ago.”
According to DDC spokesman Craig Chin, no start date has been set because they agency is still planning. The project DDC’s contractor is conducting vibration studies of the street in preparation for the work.
