BERLIN – A resident of Westminster Drive shared ongoing neighborhood drainage concerns with town officials this week.
Westminster Drive resident Mary Hedlesky approached the Berlin Town Council this week to express frustration with longtime drainage issues in her neighborhood. Officials said that while progress might be slow, they were aware of the situation.
“We are looking into it,” said Councilman Jack Orris. “It is a problem.”
Hedlesky told the council she was voicing her concerns after emailing and contacting various county, state and municipal officials regarding drainage problems in her neighborhood. She said the primary issue seemed to be a swale that hadn’t been maintained but that surrounding development, including the addition of athletic fields to Worcester Preparatory School, had also aggravated the problem.
Though there is a stormwater pond in the area, Hedlesky said water never made it that far.
“The water literally shoots straight up,” she said. “It looks like a fountain.”
She said she’d talked to private contractors about the issue but believed solving the problem would have to be a cooperative effort.
“We need to get past this and say everybody’s messed up, how can we fix this?” she said.
When asked if her house was the only one affected, Hedlesky said it was not. She encouraged council members to visit her yard to get a first-hand look at the community’s problem.
“It’s just something that really needs to be addressed,” she said.
Marie Velong, a West Street resident, agreed and said she’d explored the area after significant rain events.
“They have water after West Street is clear,” she said.
Orris acknowledged there was a drainage issue in the community and said that he had been in communication with town staff regarding it.
“We’re working on what could possibly be done, if anything,” he said.
Darl Kolar of EA Engineering, Science and Technology, the town’s stormwater consultant, said he was well aware of the drainage issues in that area of Berlin. He said the swale needed to be addressed but there would be larger improvements needed as well. He said he’d be happy to visit Hedlesky’s property during a heavy rain to get a closer look at the issue.
Councilman Dean Burrell said elected officials wanted to see the flooding alleviated too.
“We will do our best, once we get started, to address this,” he said.
