A Proposal To Reduce Flooding–And Save Money

Here’s a suggestion on to reduce flooding in Westchester: a partnership between Con Ed and local governments to combine underground work on power lines with work to improve drainage systems throughout the town. One hole, two jobs.

One of the reasons why there is so much flooding in Greenburgh and Westchester County is because our antiquated storm drains are designed to handle between 10- and 25-year storms. In recent years, including just this week, we have been getting not 10-year storms but 100-year storms–and much more frequently. Because the drains are inadequate, we see more ruined basements, damaged cars and sections of roads washed away after major flooding events.

In recent years, Con Ed has been doing extensive underground gas work in many neighborhoods and localities around Westchester.  As they schedule jobs in different neighborhoods, what if they were to invite local governments to join in the project by installing modern drains that could handle the bigger storms we have come to expect? Because they are already digging up the street, Con Ed would be saving local governments some of the money they allocate towards improving their drainage systems. They could then share the costs–and the savings–and pass them on to their customers.

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If the work is done annually, over the years there would be less flooding and fewer power outages in our region. This idea came to me as I watched Greenburgh building a sidewalk on HIllside Avenue from Greenburgh Town Hall to South Road (Parkway Gardens) at the same time Con Ed has been doing underground work–using the same contractor that Con Ed is using,

I am writing to Con Ed, County and state officials with this suggestion.

PAUL FEINER

Greenburgh Town Supervisor