Milwaukee officials and city departments are sharing action plans as Milwaukeeans brace for another round of heavy storms along with tornado and flood watch alerts Friday night.
Some Milwaukee area communities saw up to six inches of rain earlier this week, according to the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District. Ahead of Friday's storm, the city’s Department of Public Works shared a news release with all 14 aldermanic districts.
DPW says crews have been actively street sweeping, clearing debris and ensuring that catch basins and storm drains are clear. Crews also have been deployed to areas that are prone to flooding. The DPW says that’s where workers have staged barricades in the event that crews need to respond quickly to flash floods.
Also on Friday, Milwaukee Ald. Robert Bauman criticized the DPW, saying “residents across the city are irate" after this week's street flooding. In a news release, Bauman says the DPW is partly to blame because it didn't collect enough leaves from last fall in a timely fashion.
“We have heard that clogged catch basins are a prime reason why many streets have experienced flooding,” Bauman wrote. “While that is true, it would seem that the situation is, in part, self-inflicted by the Department of Public Works’ leaf collection catastrophe over the last 5 months," Bauman says.
In an interview with WUWM, DPW Marketing and Communications Officer Tiffany Shepherd said that even if sewer grates had been completely clear, the volume of water alone could have overwhelmed the system.
But Bauman says decomposing leaves are now mixed with soil and trash — a combination that's blocking sewer grates and preventing sewers from collecting excess stormwater.
“It is only partially accurate to state that no sewer system could handle these storms,” Bauman says. “Ours could have handled it much more effectively if proper leaf collection had been carried out over the last 5 months."
Storm preparation and response
DPW’s news release also suggests tips for how people can prepare for — and report issues stemming from — Friday night's storm.
Residents are reminded to never drive through flooded streets. They're urged to report flooding, debris or other issues by calling 414-286-CITY, visiting milwaukee.gov/clickforaction, or using the MKE Mobile App.
The DPW says submitting calls for service via the website or app ensures that requests are routed to the appropriate city workers. Submitted pictures help crews prioritize the requests.
The department shared these Search for Request Types:
- Clogged Catch Basin/Surface Flooding – Report clogged catch basins or storm inlets to Sewers
- Tree or Branch Down – Includes questions to assist in prioritization
- Did the tree or branch come from between sidewalk and street?
- Is the tree branch on the ground?
- Is the tree blocking the street and/or sidewalk
- Can someone pass the tree or branch or move it easily?
- Is the tree or branch on a vehicle or house?
- Can the tree/branch on house/vehicle be moved?
- If the tree/branch is on a house, can the house be exited safely?
- Is tree/branch blocking entire street, dead-end, or cul-de-sac?
- How thick is the branch?
- How long is the tree or branch?
- Broken Branch Down – Not Blocking (non-Emergency) – To be used for pickup of branches from a City tree that does not require emergency response.
- Electrical Emergency – Various requests for hanging lights, poles down, etc.
- Traffic Signals – Requests related to stoplights
The DPW says for collection of branches from private trees by Sanitation Services, branches should be less than 6” in diameter and no longer than 4’. Larger items can be taken to one of the city's Drop Off Centers at no charge.
The department also is reminding residents that Project Clean & Green begins on Monday April 20, offering expanded sanitation services and providing residents with an opportunity to dispose of flood-damaged items. Residents can look up their collection day and find program details at milwaukee.gov/cleanandgreen.
