6:45 This Morning In The Bowl At 325 Columbia! (Hello Climate Change!) Is Rob Perry Aware?

It has been nearly one year since HUDseen last reported on flooding at the low point of Columbia Street, found alongside the County Mental Health building at 325 Columbia.  Unsurprisingly (certainly not to nearby residents and likely Rob Perry as well), after hours of nonstop heavy rain overnight, another lake formed in the street, on the sidewalks and on properties, though it did not appear to be as deep as last year's lake. (In mid-August, I only saw and took pictures of the aftermath.)  This morning, in the pouring rain, in my flip flops standing in the middle of the street at the deepest/lowest point, the surface of the lake was nearly up to my knees, close to 18 inches.  

One wonders if the upcoming gazillion dollar Columbia Street water pipe replacement project will solve this ongoing flooding issue that must irritate the crap out of nearby residents (perhaps even the County!), if not physically affect their houses in one way or another.  I've never heard Rob Perry mention anything about this flood zone during a DPW report of his, and he certainly didn't mention anything about last year's lake.  One wonders if he is aware of the drainage issue causing the flooding, or if he even sees the flooding as a problem.  Maybe Rob will include something about the issue during his next report to the Infrastructure Committee, scheduled for a week from this coming Monday.  Or, maybe someone -- perhaps a council member from the 4th ward, neither of whom serves on the Infrastructure Committee -- will be smart, brave and aware enough to ask Rob Perry about the lack of adequate drainage at 325 Columbia.  You know, to try to get a sensible answer from him.  "Can you guarantee that the drainage problem at the low point of Columbia Street will be solved as a result of the upcoming pipe replacement project, Mr. Perry?  You are aware of the flooding there that reaches houses, aren't you?  How long have you known of the drainage problem there, and what, if anything, have you done to solve it?  What exactly is the root of the problem there and why do you never talk about it?  Have you not been able to solve the problem, or have you just not been interested in solving it?  Is there something wrong with one or both of the drains?  Are two drains inadequate?  Are you able to pay attention to everything under DPW's purview?  Are you expected to do too much?  How can you possibly keep an eye on everything as the sole person in charge of all things DPW?  Shouldn't DPW be restructured, creating a Water Superintendent who tends to water and sewer matters, and a DPW Superintendent who tends to everything else not related to water? Isn't that how city DPW's are typically structured, Mr. Perry?  Isn't having just one person in charge of Hudson DPW risky?  How on earth are you able to keep one eye on our drinking water and sewer pipes and your other eye on pedestrian crosswalks, lawns that need mowing, and garbage and recycling that needs collecting?  Something's got to give, doesn't it, Mr. Perry?"

There are two drains directly across the street from one another at the low point, but I saw that only the drain on the south side was taking in water, which wasn't nearly enough to keep a lake from forming.  Yet again!

(I'm pretty sure the house closest to the metal staircase maze is unoccupied.  Someone may want to check the basement and first floor!)

Within an hour and a half of taking these pictures, the lake was completely drained.  

(More pictures of the aftermath coming soon.)