City Officials: Groundwater Probable Culprit in Basement Floods

Dearborn officials say groundwater from a week of rain is the probable cause of several home basement floodings that were reported across the city on Monday and Tuesday.

Mary Laundroche, the city’s Department of Public Information director, said Thursday that residents of about 70 houses throughout the city reported water in their basement. While some residents took to Dearborn Patch's Facebook page to report rumors that a sewer pipe had burst, Laundroche said Department of Public Works crews have refuted those claims.

"We've found no evidence so far that the flooding was caused by a problem with city sewer lines," Laundroche said. "DPW crews have investigated 60 of the complaints so far, and they have determined that the flooding was primarily from groundwater due to the tremendous amount of rain we've had in the past few weeks."

On Monday, 2 1/2 inches of rain fell in 45 minutes onto already-saturated ground around 4 p.m., causing streets and basements to flood, and causing traffic backups on the Southfield Freeway.

"The storm was very unusual in terms of its duration and intensity," Laundroche said. "It's very possible that some people may have never experienced groundwater entering their basement from a storm."

Laundroche said flooding was not concentrated in one specific area of the city, which provides further argument that the problem may not have been an issue with city sewer lines.

Still, Laundroche said the city is very sympathetic toward homeowners, and has taken steps to assist anyone with damaged property.

Homeowners with water in their basement who suspects a problem with the city sewer line should call the Department of Public Works’ Sewerage Division at 1-313-943-2042 between 7 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. weekdays or 1-313-943-2100 after hours. 

Residents who have experienced basement flooding and may need a special curbside pickup of debris or ruined materials are asked to call Residential Services at 313-515-2126 for a quick evaluation.

Homeowners who want to throw away items not normally picked up at the curb can take the items to the Department of Public Works yard from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, July 13 for free disposal.

If a homeowner has evidence that the city may be at fault for flood damage, they can fill out a claim form on the city's website, www.cityofdearborn.org.

According to Assistant City Attorney William Irving, a resident must provide proof that the city knew or should have known about a drainage defect, and it didn’t take “reasonable steps in a reasonable amount of time” to fix the problem.

“Anyone making a claim for property damage or physical injury must prove that the public sewer had a defect,” he wrote on the city's website. “In other words, flooding caused by extraordinary rainfall, without evidence of a defect in the system, does not rise to the level of a compensable claim.”

Laundroche said in the past, most property damage claims citing issues with sewer backups have been due to the owner's sewer pipe connecting the property to the street sewer.

"We are not responsible for the residential sewer pipe," she said.

Cleanup advice for homes affected by flooding

• Do not try to stop the flow of sewer backup. It could seriously damage or rupture the household drainage system.
• Assess the area for electric shock hazards and possible gas leaks.
• Wear protective clothing like boots, gloves and eye protection. When removing gloves, turn them inside out and don’t touch the contaminated exterior. Dispose of them.
• Avoid skin contact with sewer water, especially cuts and sores and the mouth, eyes and nose.
• Do not track sewage from the basement to other areas of the house. Keep children and animals out of the affected area.
• Take “before” and “after” pictures.
• Disinfect all areas and equipment that came into contact with flood water with a solution of 8 tablespoons of liquid chlorine bleach and 1 gallon of water. Bleach solutions are effective disinfectants, but might discolor some materials. Never mix ammonia with bleach; it produces chlorine gas.
• Operate wet vacuums only when plugged into a ground fault circuit interrupter or ground fault-equipped outlet. Never use electrical equipment while standing in water.
• Unplug all electrical devices and turn off circuit breakers to the affected area.
• Turn off the gas to the furnace or hot-water tank if they’re affected.
• Throw away carpet and steam-clean or throw away drapes.
• Throw away upholstered furniture and porous wood furniture. Sanitize and clean hardwood furniture, then apply an oil-based wood polish.
• Wash and disinfect toys, clothes and other contaminated items.
• Clean appliances and ductwork. If electric motors, wiring or insulation have been saturated, call a qualified service technician before use.
• Remove contaminated drywall within 24 hours because mold can grow.
• Sanitize and repair, or throw out, paneling, wallboard or wall coverings.
• Ventilate the area with floor fans and a dehumidifier.