WASHINGTON — Intense weather is expected to hit the D.C. area on Monday. Afternoon and evening storms could bring hail, damaging winds and flooding.
The effort to prevent roads from flooding involves more than you might realize. All over town is a series of mini storm water pumping stations — along underpasses, and along low-lying flood prone roads.
“We have 16 of them spread around the city,” says John Lisle, chief of external affairs for D.C. Water.
On Monday, Eastern Avenue flooded at the Addison Road overpass. The pumps tripped and stopped working; once reset, the road cleared quickly.
Some stations have back-up generators in case pumps fail due to a power outage. Even in locations where pumps are working, at times, they may not be able to keep up with floods from heavy rainfall.
Sewers in the D.C. area serve a dual purpose: They carry storm water and waste from people’s homes. Though sometimes, those pipes get overwhelmed by heavy rain.
When that happens, waste water can back into people’s homes and discharged to the Anacostia River, Rock Creek, the Potomac River or tributary waters.
There’s a long-term fix underway, Lisle says. There are huge tunnels being built — 100 feet underneath the city — that will bring sewage water down to Blue Plains to be treated.
That project will take 20 years to complete.
.#WMATA busses detoured off Eastern Ave at Olive toward Deanwood Metro station #WTOP pic.twitter.com/rLRa91OPor
— Kristi King (@kingWTOP) April 20, 2015
Eastern Ave flooded/CLSD at Addison Rd NE #WTOP pic.twitter.com/q27FzlGcsb
— Kristi King (@kingWTOP) April 20, 2015
Stalled car of stranded motorist pushed out of Eastern Ave floodwaters at Addison Ave underpass #WTOP pic.twitter.com/FyhoLQMtjn
— Kristi King (@kingWTOP) April 20, 2015
Eastern Rd OPEN at Addison Rd underpass where pumps were offline causing flooding #WTOP #DCtraffic pic.twitter.com/lqAnaRO0Lo
— Kristi King (@kingWTOP) April 20, 2015
Floodwater pumps have cleared water fr Eastern Ave at Addison Rd underpass. Road OPEN #DCtraffic #WTOP pic.twitter.com/h48AqrcvMj
— Kristi King (@kingWTOP) April 20, 2015
