suggestion to reduce flooding -drainage systems should be upgraded

A suggestion to reduce flooding problems in Westchester - a Con Ed, local government partnership
Con Ed is doing underground work--when work is being done local governments should have option to enhance drainage

One of the reasons why there is so much flooding in Greenburgh and Westchester County is because storm drains are designed to handle between 10 and 25 year old storms. In recent weeks/years we have been seeing extreme storms. We're getting 100 year storms much more fequently. Because the drains are antiquated we see more ruined basements, damaged cars, sections of roads washed away after major flooding events.

Con Ed, in recent years, has been doing extensive underground gas work in many neighborhoods and localities around Westchester. They should provide local governments with the option of modernizing our drains by installing drains that could handle more than 25 year storms. They are already digging up the street so it would not be as costly for local governments to improve their drainage systems. The additional cost of the drainage work would be paid for by the local government.

If local governments would gradually modernize their antiquated drainage systems so we could handle 100 year storms - not only 25 year storms - and if the work would be done annually, over the years there would be less flooding in our region. I got this idea recently. Greenburgh is building a sidewalk on HIllside Ave from Greenburgh Town Hall to South Road (Parkway Gardens). Con Ed is doing underground work. We are using the same contractor that Con Ed is using -a sidewalk is being built, Con Ed is doing their underground gas work and we're working to enhance the drainage system on Hillside at the same time.

I am writing to Con Ed, County and state officials with this suggestion.
PAUL FEINER
Greenburgh Town Supervisor