Published: August 15, 2007 12:01 am      

Stormwater, sewage seep into Watson homes

Fairmont council approves ordinance allowing county to take over 12th Street Pool

FAIRMONT — Since moving into her Watson home, Gilbob Street resident Tina Mascara has seriously dreaded severe rainstorms within the city.

For after each one, Mascara, along with many of her neighbors, have been forced to replace carpets, furniture and other expensive household items because of excess stormwater and sewage seeping into their homes and basements.

And Tuesday, Mascara and several other Watson residents addressed city council with concerns over recent issues surfacing from the severe thunderstorm that blew through the county this month and last.

Currently, the Watson community is serviced by a combination sanitary sewer and stormwater management system installed more than two decades ago when the area was annexed into the City of Fairmont. Since the system’s installation, City Manager Bruce McDaniel said there have been talks of improvement projects being conducted at the site, but none has actually been completed.

McDaniel said the system is presently sufficient for everyday use within the community, but cannot support severe storms such as the one that occurred July 29.

Mascara said after this localized storm, which reportedly dumped around two inches of rain onto the city in 70 minutes, she measured more than 10 1/2 inches of raw sewage in her basement. She added that this is the sixth time she has had to vacuum waste off of the floor of her home because of inadequacy within the system, and she came to Tuesday’s council meeting looking for some help from council.

“I am paying fees to the city. What are you all willing to do just to help us live in our homes?” she said, representing both herself and her neighbors on Gilbob Street.

Within the city, residents are required to pay stormwater fees as part of the city utility bill they receive every two months.

Bob Moffett, a resident of Fairway Lane, which is also located within the Watson community, said he and his wife returned home from a week-long vacation just after the recent storm to find their home also flooded with raw sewage that had backed up through the shower stall in the bathroom and seeped into other rooms of the house.

He said since moving into his home 30 years ago, he has experienced his share of sewage and stormwater issues and, like Mascara, wonders when a solution will come about.

Since the storm, McDaniel said the city has received between 30 and 40 calls and complaints from residents within the Watson area who have had problems similar to the ones Mascara and Moffett experienced.

Upon hearing their pleas for assistance Tuesday night, council members sympathized with their issues and agreed to do what they can to help them find a solution.

“This has to be a top priority,” said Councilman Matt Delligatti, who addressed council at the beginning of the meeting inquiring about where the money from the citizens’ stormwater fees actually goes.

“I would imagine, if I were in their shoes, I would not feel comfortable every time it rains,” he added.

To help address this issue, McDaniel said the city would meet with its sanitary sewer board in the near future to get information on possible improvement projects to try to render a solution.

“I think we need to take a real serious look at this,” he said. “We can’t make any decisions tonight, but we are going to put this on our front burner.”

In other business, council approved an ordinance to officially authorize the city manager to hand over the documents transferring ownership of the 12th Street Pool to the Marion County Commission, providing that it will be restored to its original use as a recreational swimming pool.

Mayor Scott Sears also announced at the start of the meeting that City Clerk Janet Keller was voted the state Clerk of the Year by the West Virginia Municipal League at the group’s annual luncheon last weekend.

E-mail Mallory Panuska at mpanuska@timeswv.com.