3876331 Resolution 19-623, "Sense of the Council on Addressing Flooding in Bloomingdale and LeDroit Park Emergency Resolution of 2012"

A RESOLUTION

                                                        

19-623  

 

IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

 

October 2, 2012

 

 

To declare the sense of the Council on requiring the D.C. Water and Sewer Authority (“DC Water”) and the task force established by the Mayor to investigate the flooding in the Bloomingdale and LeDroit Park areas, to report to the Council on current and future measures being taken to address repeated flooding in these areas, to require the Mayor or the Mayor's designee to conduct an analysis to determine which properties in Bloomingdale and LeDroit Park shall qualify to receive backflow preventers and sandbags, to require DC Water and the District of Columbia government to find funds to purchase and install backflow preventers and purchase sandbags for certain properties in Bloomingdale and LeDroit Park, and to require the District Department of Transportation and the Department of Public Works to conduct a study of Rhode Island Avenue and determine whether the structure of that road should be changed to mitigate flooding.

 

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this resolution may be cited as the “Sense of the Council on Addressing Flooding in Bloomingdale and LeDroit Park Emergency Resolution of 2012”.

 

Sec. 2.  The Council finds that:

            (1) There exists an immediate need for the D.C. Water and Sewer Authority ("DC Water") to identify and address which properties in the Bloomingdale and LeDroit Park neighborhoods have been experiencing repeated incidents of flooding and sewage backup.

            (2) As set forth in Mayor's Order 2012-132, dated August 21, 2012 (59 DCR 10549), the Mayor established a task force ("Task Force") to investigate the cause of the flooding in the Bloomingdale area and suggest remedial actions.

            (3) Upon information and belief, the Task Force has failed to identify certain properties that have experienced repeated flooding and sewage backup and has failed to offer residents financial assistance to purchase and install backflow preventers to address the flooding and sewage backup issue.

            (4) The Council and the public lack specific information as to the identification and remediation process being undertaken by the Task Force.

            (5)  The need for flood remediation and prevention is more widespread than is being addressed by the Task Force, and, as such, the Task Force and a representative of DC Water shall report to the Council within 15 days of the effective date of this resolution on the following:

                        (A) How properties experiencing repeated flooding and sewage backup are being identified by the Task Force and DC Water;

                        (B) The remedial measures that are currently being taken with respect to the properties identified in subparagraph (A) of this paragraph;

                        (C) A source of funding for the remedial measures being offered to properties identified in subparagraph (A) of this paragraph;

                        (D) An analysis of which properties should be eligible to receive a backflow preventer;

                        (E) A source of funding for the purchase and installation of backflow preventers for the properties identified in subparagraph (D) of this paragraph;

                        (F) An analysis of how many sandbags should be distributed to each property in the Bloomingdale and LeDroit Park neighborhoods to protect it from flooding;

                        (G) A source of funding for the purchase and distribution of sandbags for the properties identified in subparagraph (F) of this paragraph;

                        (H) An analysis by the District Department of Transportation (“DDOT”) and the Department of Public Works (“DPW”) to determine what structural changes can be made to Rhode Island Avenue, between 7th Street, N.W. and 12th Street, N.W., to mitigate flooding; and

                        (I) An analysis by DDOT and DPW as to whether the sections of Rhode Island Avenue described in subparagraph (H) of this paragraph shall be closed when heavy rain is forecasted until a more permanent solution is devised by the Task Force.

 

Sec. 3.  It is the sense of the Council that DC Water and the Task Force are directed to report to the Council within 15 days of the effective date of this resolution on the issues outlined in section 2(5).

 

            Sec. 4. The Council of the District of Columbia shall transmit a copy of this resolution,

upon its adoption, to DC Water and to the Executive Office of the Mayor.

 

Sec. 5. This resolution shall take effect immediately.