A recent flooding incident in Fayetteville, North Carolina just made it clear that the city is in need of an urgent upgrade to their stormwater management systems. Paige Rentz of The Fayetteville Observer writes in her news article:
“City staff responded to at least 37 locations of high water and closed at least 16 streets. City officials say the amount of rain that fell – several inches in an hour, according to some reports – is beyond the capacity of most stormwater systems. But the recent rainstorms and subsequent flash floods have highlighted the city’s need for better ways to handle the water rushing off the city’s pavement and into overwhelmed storm drains and creeks.”
While floodwaters may regularly hamper basic commercial and public services in locales like Fayetteville, there are more reasons why efficient stormwater systems are crucial. According to the Human Services division of the State of New Jersey, the force of six-inch deep, swiftly moving floodwater can be strong enough to sweep people off their feet. Thus, proper stormwater management, which aims to prevent flooding and reduce water pollution, is vital to thriving communities.
Going up several notches, Discovery Channel reiterates that rushing waters as deep as 2 feet possess ample force to wash a car away. Aside from such, floodwaters are also massively destructive to property – the debris it brings along can cause troublesome damage even after the waters have receded. Cities and communities that are located in low-lying areas, near water sources, or those with outdated storm water systems are particularly at risk.
Smooth-flowing flood waters are already destructive in their own right, imagine what a flash flood can do. Usually resulting from intense storms dropping huge amounts of rain within a brief period of time, flash floods deal much more damage as they reach full force in only a few minutes. Flash floods often occur with little or no warning, causing widespread damage to property and lives within any given area. Also, there are the health risks posed by flood waters as they are often contaminated by toxic substances from overflowing drains, septic tanks, and dirty pavements.
Fortunately, the threats of flooding can be mitigated (even eliminated) thanks to companies like HydroLogic Solutions that offer high-quality storm water systems for both residential and commercial purposes. Specially designed to meet the standards set by governing authorities like the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), such solutions are proven to be more cost-effective and much more efficient than standard installations.
(Source: Flood Amplifies Need for Stormwater Drainage Upgrades in Fayetteville, The Fayetteville Observer, May 27, 2014)
