WEST BEND, Wis. — One year after historic flooding swept through Southeast Wisconsin, homeowners on 16th Avenue in West Bend are still emotionally exhausted — and still waiting for meaningful help from city officials.
Rita Fellenz, who turns 80 this year, and her husband Daniel Fellenz are still living in fear that another heavy rain will send sewage flooding into their home. Their basement flooded with 4 inches of fecal matter during last year's disaster, and they recently discovered black mold.
WATCH: West Bend flood victims still feel forgotten one year after historic storm devastated their neighborhood
"It's been quite a year, a lot of work and a lot of heartache. We never thought we would go through something like this to be honest," Rita Fellenz said. "I get chest pains at times. I can't explain it."
The physical and emotional toll has been significant.
The couple said they feel abandoned by the officials who are supposed to represent them.
"Nobody seems to care," Rita said. "Really, that's how we feel!"
"Progress has been really slow," he said. "I realize it takes time. But, a year? Give me a break. There should've been a little more time within that year to start doing something."
He wants to see the city dredge out the creek, make changes to the floodplain, and develop a plan to prevent another disastrous flood.
Across the street, Robert Bettin's home still sits empty, the basement full of mud and debris. He said his family has been turned away from most assistance programs.
"We're in limbo. It seems like nobody cares," Bettin said. "We've been told no by a lot of those things because it's like, 'Well you make too much money!' And it's like, we have no house anymore."
They did receive help from FEMA.
Residents on the street said they live in fear every time severe weather threatens the area — something they believe is happening more and more frequently.
"I can't go through it again," Rita said. "It's not a way to live, really."
City officials sent a statement saying the city is working with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to modify the creek's flow and adjust the comprehensive floodplain.
In the year since the extraordinary rainfall of August 2025, the City of West Bend team has worked to address issues identified during this once-in-a-generation storm.
Immediately following the rain, our Community Development team surveyed hundreds of homeowners to assess damage and identify potential solutions including infrastructure improvement, floodplain review, and modifications of the stream between Silverbrook Drive and Walnut Street. Work in the stream must be done with the permission of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, and our team has been in close communication with the DNR to modify the flow of water in a way that protects our residents while maintaining the natural ecosystem. The City has also been continually monitoring the area following any rain event and conducted culvert clean out operations as needed.
Our team is confident that with the infrastructure improvements already made, and more comprehensive floodplain adjustments in the works, the risk of flooding has decreased significantly. However, the reality is that even the best preventative measures do not always mitigate the forces of nature. Please reach out to our team directly with any questions or concerns.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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