GERMANTOWN, Wis. — Families in Germantown are speaking out and demanding immediate action from the village after sewage flooded their basements for a second time.
Amy Willard and Kris Piwek both live on Wildflower Lane. They said the lift station behind their homes failed to prevent backup sewage from flooding their basements in August and again in April.
"It’s really frustrating!" Piwek said.
The lift station is located behind the families' homes, separated by a pond.
"I understand the August one, nobody really could forecast that right? But this one in April? We knew it was coming," Willard said. "So, did they have extra pumps there? Did they have extra manpower there? What did they do to mediate that additional inflow of sewage?"
Both women said it is maddening to have their basements still smell putrid. They have to keep basement fans running, making it sound like a wind tunnel vortex, to keep their homes clean.
"We just want to know what’s being done," Piwek said. "We need some assurance from them that this is not going to be a continuing problem for us and our neighbors."
Interim Village Administrator Mitch Reynolds blamed power outages but said the village is looking into solutions.
"Anytime there’s a widespread power outage coupled with an extreme rain event, sanitary sewer very quickly becomes overwhelmed due to foundation water not being spilled by sump pumps," Reynolds said. "This condition meant numerous backup reports in homes. DPW has been logging all complaints for residents.”
Residents are left wondering what will happen if it floods again.
"We need action. We’re begging you for action. We can’t go through this again," Willard said. "We pay our taxes, we need some sort of solution to this problem and an immediate one too."
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