New Jersey residents demand action as 'constant flooding' leaves streets underwater

For certain residents in Little Falls, New Jersey, storms are no longer just a nuisance. Neighbors say flooding repeatedly spills into streets and yards, leaving families frustrated and exhausted as they wait for a lasting fix.

What happened?

At a recent council meeting, neighbors described a familiar pattern when strong rain hits: Water backs up, the same area floods again, and the problem keeps returning year after year. Some said it happens several times annually.

As TAPinto reported, residents blamed the drainage backups in part on clogged storm drains, debris-choked inlets, and high river levels.

One resident told the council, "We find it is just very unacceptable to have constant flooding only due to the fact that the infrastructure that is designed to drain water is a completely compromised project."

According to Mayor James Damiano, as reported by TAPinto, major storms repeatedly affect about six homes. He said the inlet meant to carry stormwater out of the neighborhood appears to get blocked when high river levels coincide with debris being swept into the drainage system.

Recalling a storm that brought rain at about six inches an hour, Damiano said, "There was all kinds of new debris that was washed into the stream that dammed up the inlet."

Why does it matter?

One resident said, "I was told it is a county problem, they said it's local." Another added, "You guys blame it on the county and the county blames it on you, but nobody is doing anything."

Recurring flooding in streets and yards can damage homes, make roads harder to travel on, and drive up cleanup costs for families who may already be under financial strain. It can also create public safety concerns when drains and inlets fail to function during severe weather.

What's being done?

Damiano said the township has been responding to the flooding even though Passaic County owns the drainage system tied to the problem. As TAPinto reported, he said Little Falls' Department of Public Works has gone out "on dozens of occasions" to remove debris and clean catch basins in hopes of limiting the flooding.

He said the core problem, in his view, is not simply the size of the pipe. "It seems to be a damming of the inlet issue," Damiano said. "Even if the pipes were eight feet bigger, the debris would still create problems."

The township has installed cameras to monitor river conditions during storms, and Damiano said he plans to bring the matter back to Passaic County and its engineers. He said officials will look at whether infrastructure changes, possibly including adjustments to the outfall, might help.

"There has to be some kind of solution," one resident told the council.

Damiano said the issue remains unresolved, adding, "It is an issue. It's not one that we've ignored or forgotten about."

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