Residents Report New Flooding Issues on Roseann Avenue

VILLAS – Roseann Avenue residents made what seems like their annual pilgrimage to Lower Township Hall April 17, citing failed stormwater pumping systems and extensive flooding on this residential neighborhood street.
Roseann Avenue, located in the Schooner Landing East development of North Cape May, was the site of a major stormwater trunk line replacement project that was widely discussed before Lower Township Council settled on a $5 million plan to replace an ancient, dilapidated, and poorly constructed storm sewer line. 
Now, several years since the completion date, Roseanne Avenue residents describe street flooding and wading in knee-deep water to get to vehicles.
Resident Dorothy Plenn referred to it as a “disastrous event” that came after millions of dollars have been spent to alleviate flooding on the street.
Public Works Supervisor Gary Douglass said the pump stations that were part of the $5 million cost of the project were working properly. He said the pumps are automatic and are backed up by a generator that will get the pumps going.
“If they are down, I get a notification on my cell phone,” he said. “I get alerts when the pumps are down, or the generator goes on.”
The problem, Douglass said, is debris – primarily leaves – that get into the stormwater system and clog the pipes at a “trash rack.”
Per trashracks.com, “Trash Racks are designed to prevent floating and submerged debris from entering stormwater and wastewater systems while maintaining water flow.”
Public comment seemed to support the idea that leaves were a big part of the problem. Resident Dan Santoro said there have been two flooding events recently and “both times, the grates were regurgitating leaves.”
“It seems they’ve been lying in there for a long time,” he said. “We’ve got to do a better job getting the leaves picked up.”
Resident Christina Rayzis said April 6 she had to wade through knee-deep water to get to her car. She said when she attempted to report the problem, she could not get a response. She said there were manhole covers lifted out of place, which her husband said presented a rather dangerous situation.
Dave Rayzis said he noticed a whirlpool where an open manhole was at around 10 p.m. that day. He echoed earlier comments about the leaves not being fresh – but muck.
“Again, that is correct,” Douglass said, referring to what could be considered leaf compost.
Douglass said there is a spring and fall leaf pickup scheduled in Lower Township. The spring leaf and branch pickup is accomplished by dividing Lower Township into five sectors, with the first pickup scheduled for April 10 and the final spring pickup beginning June 5. He said the scheduling is based on the number of staff they have. 
Douglass advised against putting leaves out too much in advance of the pickup, and said people are supposed to put them at the curb, but not in the street, where they will wash into the storm sewers and then into the pump. He said the township can’t afford to have a million-dollar pump destroyed due to leaves.  
Douglass said the goal on Roseann Avenue is to prevent debris from getting to and potentially ruining the pumps. He said they have had clogs at the trash racks that consist of mud, composted leaves, and trash. 
He said he has been in touch with the Mott MacDonald Group, the original engineers for the project, and they have discussed relief holes in the grates. So far, however, the pump company won’t sign off on that plan. In the meantime, Douglass said, it’s difficult to control what residents are putting in the streets.
Douglass said the flooding that used to occur on Roseann Avenue is not being seen today.
“The flooding that happened years ago doesn’t happen now,” Douglass said.
However, he said, a 2-inch to 3-inch rainfall in an hour is going to put a lot of water into the storm pipes. When there is too much debris caught in the trash racks, it could result in the kinds of problems the residents experienced. 
Lower Township Manager Mike Laffey said of the two incidents mentioned that the first one was reported in July 2021, with the second occurring this April. He said the township would find a solution to the problem.
Mayor Frank Sippel said at the meeting that the Public Works crew is doing the best they can and Laffey and Douglass would be working with the engineers to find a solution to the problem. 
Contact the author, Christopher South, at 609-886-8600, ext. 128, or email csouth@cmcherald.com.