Here are some frequently asked questions about flooding in the community and ways you can prepare for flooding.
What are some ways you prepare for a disaster, or how do you prepare for major flooding?
Some ways to prepare for natural disasters are stocking up on food and water. You never know when the power will go out, and you won’t always have access to electricity, so candles are another good thing to keep inside your home. Moving vehicles and furniture items outside the yard and putting them away from the street can also stop flooding from causing damage.
If we compare these 2 perspectives, Carl talked a lot about how preparation was expecting the flood to reach their homes. Handling the aftermath rather than preparing because a major flood didn’t have that option. Something that was similar was moving your belongings away from potential damage. Although this isn’t making a big difference, not losing some items is better than losing most items.
What are the ways the city deals with flooding and the recovery of damaged homes?
Being from Centreville, a lot of issues related to flooding never really get solved. They either got looked over or waited until the dry season came around. Community was also something that didn’t really have support. Leaving no opportunities for growth or change, creating further hardship. There is still a lot of work to be done before things have changed.
Centreville and East Saint Louis have a lot of similar situations with flooding, all because of the ditches and storm systems. Without extra space for water to drain, the water tends to build up. The difference is the support people have during flood damage. Alot of grassroots organizations come together to help contribute towards flooding. Compared to Centreville, I haven’t heard or read anything about help during flood recovery.
How has the local stormwater system handled flooding, and does it have control of water infrastructure?
The local stormwater system is failing in the city. The government didn’t put long-term effort into the drains and ditches. Leaving little to no space for water to move or travel. This leads to more problems with flooding, and the main reason why water backup from sewage. This also affected how people use transportation because the streets were flooded by the sewer.
Water infrastructure is something that is well-known in St. Clair County, specifically in the areas of Cahokia Heights (Centreville) & East Saint Louis. Carl mentioned how the sewer systems tend to build up sewage, causing water to overflow. I have experience with similar things with flood water not leaving our streets for days to weeks at a time. What makes them different is East Saint Louis’ experience of flooding on a whole other scale, with the power sometimes going out.
Has this area experienced flooding before? How often and how severe?
The metro area experienced a lot of flooding, and it tends to be more intense in East Saint Louis. Sometimes it would get so bad, the power would go out for days, and some people would be trapped in their homes. Basement floods were also a common thing in a lot of homes in East Saint Louis because of the lack of ditches. Water would get so high it would completely cover your car and ruin it in the process. My friend Carl also mentioned that if it didn’t flood the first day, you would see water start to bubble from the sewer. The next day, it would be water rushing from the drains, gradually building up flooding.
Cahokia Heights (Centreville) & East Saint Louis have experienced flooding pretty often. The main reason for this is that water infrastructure is at an all-time high. Preventing people from getting to work or their homes from being destroyed. Cahokia Heights has a lot of problems with its pipes due to poor construction and longevity. Neither of these areas didn’t install these key things to stop water because of the people who lived in the area.
Do any homes have any mold, water damage, or foundation issues?
Homes in East Saint Louis developed mold because of the water that flooded their homes. The basement would hold mold because water is rushing down gutters and the roofs of homes. Water damage in these areas wouldn’t only be inside these homes, but also affect the outside of them. These situations depend on how low your home is and if you’re in the lower part of East Saint Louis or Cahokia Heights. Mainly because East Saint Louis is like a bowl, and all the water really settles towards the middle of the city.
