![]() ![]() ![]() The June storm foreshadowed what was yet to come a few months later. “They said ‘the best stormwater management system would not have been able to mitigate the water that came in,’” Logan said. Logan recalled speaking with some emergency service experts and receiving a sobering message about the infrastructure that was supposed to keep something like this from happening. In the end, Coatesville deemed 10 homes in “ground-zero” unsafe to live in and declared a state of emergency. A mudslide barreled onto Route 82, cutting off traffic. As much as six feet of rain inundated some of the lowest-lying areas. The fallout: 50 percent of the city went underwater. But the downpour drenched Coatesville for even longer. According to the city’s 2021 stormwater report, more than seven inches of rain fell in a span of one hour during a day in June. Kim/WHYY) How have recent storms like Hurricane Ida impacted Coatesville?Ĭoatesville residents are no strangers to storms and flooding. Steeply graded roads in Coatesville contribute to the accumulation of runoff and exacerbate flooding during heavy rains. “It’s really important because residents are afraid,” Logan said. It will take a while for officials to raise the funds needed for a complete overhaul, which is time the city might not have. For comparison, the city only raked in $10.7 million in revenue in 2020. Coatesville officials estimate it will cost at least $9 million to make the necessary improvements. In May, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) awarded Coatesville a $621,360 grant to cover the costs of project scoping activities, which is some of the preliminary work needed before any construction can begin on a long-term resiliency solution.īut any physical changes to stormwater infrastructure are likely years away from being years away. But so far, the upgrades have not materialized. Modernizing this system and increasing its capacity to take on more water is paramount to the city’s survival. Coatesville is banking on it to stay afloat. The city “on the rise” could sink before it even has a chance to reach new heights.īeneath the city’s burgeoning development is an aging stormwater infrastructure that is more than 60 years old. WHYY thanks our sponsors - become a WHYY sponsorĮxtreme weather supercharged by the climate crisis has increased the severity of frequent flooding. ![]()
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