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CITY OF SOUTH BEND I OFFICE OF THE CLERK <br /> residents will apply and the City will cover up to fifty percent (50%) of the cost of that basement <br /> valve installation. The maximum reimbursement we will give is $1,500. So far, the average <br /> reimbursement has been nine hundred dollars ($900). <br /> Mr. Fahey went on, Tying those two (2) programs together I always say that the basement valve <br /> program in combination with a connected downspout is a disaster waiting to happen. If you're <br /> disconnected from the sewer system and you have a connected downspout, all that rainwater is <br /> going to end up in your basement. It is no longer a question of if, it is a question of what. He <br /> referenced a slide in the presentation that showed other tips to handle extreme precipitation events. <br /> He stated, The City is here to help residents however they can. The LTCP is a long-term plan as <br /> we have fifteen (15) years remaining in that plan. We are also rolling out green infrastructure in <br /> nine (9) keys areas as well where they will divert storm water runoff from entering inappropriate <br /> locations. This includes some short-term projects and City Engineer Dr. Kara Boyles will speak <br /> about these in a bit more detail soon but we have four(4)main areas that were affected in the map <br /> Eric highlighted earlier, that are areas of increased observation. The Sewer Crews are out at the <br /> moment. We have the storm lines,the combined lines and the sanitary lines. We are targeting each <br /> area and each set of lines individually. I was out with them myself last Thursday in the Northshore <br /> Triangle area as the Public Works Department recently purchased a new truck do this kind of work. <br /> We have better resources and are better able to tackle this. The first step in the process is gathering <br /> data from this event. We need to be sure the sewer system didn't get damaged in any particular <br /> way by dealing with the sheer volumes it had to process over the event. Secondly, we need to see <br /> if everything we think we know about the system is as accurate as it should be. We will be doing <br /> what we call GIS ground-truthing. The GIS map we all use for information is only as accurate as <br /> the information that is contained in it so we have to make sure that is all up to date. I mentioned <br /> also that the green infrastructure storm water basins have been approved by the Board of Public <br /> works in the Master Plan. We will start on that as soon as possible to roll out design principles, <br /> objectives and assessments of the locations for those. <br /> Mr. Fahey continued, Director Horvath had also mentioned the back-flow devices. The same <br /> principle of a back flow prevention for a basement needs to be on other major sewer lines. We <br /> currently have those on most of the CSOs so that the river can't intrude into the CSO system <br /> because that is a cost to us to have to treat that water. When we put those bills on, we eliminated <br /> millions of gallons of back flow, and that was essential. Now, one (1) of the things we look at as <br /> part of this is to ensure the storm lines are not affected by the height the river achieved. Dr. Boyles <br /> will address some specifics in relation to some of the projects we have coming up. <br /> Councilmember Tim Scott stated, With this, I think a lot of misinformation comes out. I had <br /> someone tell me they just poured concrete down their drain to keep that water from coming up. <br /> Mr. Fahey replied, I would like to see their basement and see what kind of connections they have <br /> there. The advantage with a floor drain, obviously is not to prevent external flooding entering into <br /> the basement,but there are times when water is internal and the water has somewhere to go. I talk <br /> about the advantages of people putting in a standpipe.A standpipe is different to a basement valve <br /> in that is doesn't fight the pressure, it accepts it and it equalizes it. People need a floor drain in <br /> their basement and I don't think people should pour concrete down the drain. <br /> EXCELLENCE I ACCOUNTABILITY ( INNOVATION I INCLUSION I EMPOWERMENT <br /> 455 County-City Building 1227 W.Jefferson Bvld I South Bend,Indiana 466011 p 574.235.9221 If 574.235.9173 TTD574.235.5567 iwww.southbendin.gov <br /> 5 <br />