Flooded emotions

The debate at a public meeting last Thursday inside Gander's council chambers was heated at times, but hardly unexpected.

What else could be expected after two heavy rainfalls in less than a week dumps 125 millimetres on a town and causes floods at homes that had previously never experienced such an occurrence.

Indeed, the anger and frustration felt by some of those in attendance was certainly understandable.

It was evident from the strong turnout - over 40 people attended - that the meeting was necessary, and the Town should be commended for holding it.

However, now they need to act so this, hopefully, does not happen again. That's what is bothering the affected residents most - living with the fear that this could all happen again.

The short-term and long-term recommendations offer some hope for the future. The oft-mentioned downspout initiative will apparently make a noticeable difference, according to the lengthy presentation made by municipal works and services director Grand Horwood.

Assuming the bylaw presently before council passes, this will be one less contributing factor.

Water previously sent from the new water treatment plant to the sewage system used by those streets most affected by the flooding - Edinburgh Avenue and Peterson Avenue, amongst others - can now be redirected.

What remains to be seen is how soon changes can be made to piping within the sewer system. Mr. Horwood said an increase in pipe size in some parts could make a difference in the short-term, and following engineering work, could be implemented in the new year.

In the very long run, the matter of overall sewage treatment for the Town is paramount to making sure these sorts of events do not reoccur. Council has already been exploring options for replacing the current system.

The plant on Magee Road was designed to handle 2,000 households. The Town is near that limit as is, which could mean serious problems down the road in the ever-expanding northern part of Gander.

At the meeting, Mr. Horwood said a new plant would likely be five years away. If this is the case, can Gander's system handle the load in the meantime?

This type of question is the sort that will probably send shivers through those still worrying about whether they will ever see a repeat of what happened this August.