Wildwood Will Do Its Best, Try Flood Mitigation

WILDWOOD — Many residents in this city are used to packing knee-high galoshes in or-der to maneuver through high water and moving cars to higher ground before the flood sirens sound.
While city officials contend that they can’t fight Mother Nature, they are trying to make life a little drier for those living on streets that can resemble a canal in Venice during a full moon or high tide.
“It is all part of living on an island,” said Mayor Ernie Troiano Jr. at an informal meeting at City Hall Nov. 6. “But we’ve made a lot of strides at this art to try and control the problem. But a lot of work still has to be done.”
That means unavoidable costs, Troiano said.
“We don’t want to burden the taxpayers, but this is a quality-of-life issue and a safety issue for people living on the back bay,” he said.
“We’re going to try and get as much done for as cheaply as we can,” he added.
Approximately 50 residents, including those living in the city’s back bay area, where flooding is especially bad, attended the presentation.
Troiano told the crowd that many of the flooding issues the city faces are a result of neglect of the water, sewer and storm system.
“Many of the lines are the original lines,” said Troiano. “They need to be replaced before they just give out.”
Troiano said that adding to frustration was inaccurate mapping of the city’s system of pipes.
Jim McGoldrick, a senior engineer for CMX Engineering, was present to report on a storm water improvement project his company has been commissioned to study, in cooperation with the Wildwood Sewer Utility.
“It is interesting that we’re talking about this when there is a nor’easter coming up the coast,” said McGoldrick.
McGoldrick said his study included identifying areas to add new inlets, drains, replacing floodgates and repaving some streets to improve the pitch. The project is funded by a $500,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and work is slated to begin in December.
City Engineer Mark DeBlasio, of Remington Vernick & Walberg, said the engineering firm is working to find solutions to flooding, particularly at the intersection of Rio Grande and Susquehanna avenues.
However, he stressed, that the work done will “mitigate but not completely eliminate flooding issues.”
DeBlasio said that areas with low bulkheads have been improved and inoperable flapper valves have been replaced. Additionally, pipe and drain replacements along Susquehanna Avenue are expected to improve the situation from Burk to Cresse avenues.
As for long-term plans, DeBlasio said a citywide Storm Sewer Master Plan Project is designed to guide future capital improvement projects. That future project, he said, will solicit the publics input.
The city’s uniquely large beaches also contribute to the flooding problem. Troiano said that storm drain outfall pipers, which are designed to move rainwater from the storm drains to the ocean, end many feet from the ocean.
The water has no outlet, he said. That causes backup and flooding, not only in the back bay but in the downtown commercial district. Troiano said that the city constantly dedicated money and manpower to dig out the pipes, but that remedy is only partially effective.
The mayor told the audience that pumping stations are the only permanent solution. Currently, the city is conducting feasibility studies on the stations. Although no location has been named for a pumping station, the back bay is of particular interest.
Troiano noted that the city plans to take aggressive action against property owners who have not maintained their bulkheads. Homeowners will be required to bring their bulkhead up to code in the minimum amount of time allowed by law.
Contact Suit at: (609) 886-8600 ext. 25 or lsuit@cmcherald.com