NEW BERLIN, Wis. — Piles of sewage-covered belongings line the streets of the Regal Manors neighborhood in New Berlin as residents continue to deal with the aftermath of severe weekend flooding.
Related Coverage: Flooding wipes out most of the fall crops at New Berlin family farm
Brooke Miller and several others reached out to TMJ4 with their concerns over the city's response to disposing of contaminated and damaged items.
"We lost every single utility that we have down there," said Miller, who is frustrated with the city's response to the flooding.
Miller's losses are extensive and continue to mount as she works through the cleanup process. She estimates they suffered between $80,000-$90,000 in damage.
Watch: New Berlin residents frustrated with city's response to flooding
"We lost all of our appliances, washer, dryer, full size, refrigerator, freezer, chest freezer, and then obviously all of our belongings," Miller said.
Even her children's toys that were stored in the basement are now piled on the curb waiting to be disposed of.
"Our big concern right now is just getting this out of here," Miller said.
As TMJ4 spoke with multiple residents, it became clear they're concerned about more than just property damage. With more rain in the forecast this weekend, they worry about potential public health issues from the contaminated items sitting outside.
"You can actually drive in the subdivision and you can smell it, so I can't imagine what's going to continue to happen after more days unfold," Miller said.
She's particularly worried about neighborhood safety as the piles continue to sit.
"We don't want kids walking by picking through things, especially since there's toys here and things that might draw their attention," Miller said.
When TMJ4 reached out to New Berlin Mayor David Ament about these concerns, he declined to speak on camera; however, at Thursday night's city council meeting, Mayor Ament delivered a report about the historic flooding ahead of public comment.
"We recognize that many residents are feeling exhausted, frustrated and overwhelmed by this event. Recovery is not only about repairing property," Ament said during the meeting. "It also takes a toll on the mental and emotional health, so please remember, you are not alone."
The city declared a State of Emergency on Tuesday. He directed residents to visit the city's website. Updates and resources can be found here: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/cu/ApM6Vpy
In an email, his executive assistant instead directed TMJ4 to the daily reports the city has been producing.
John's Disposal, the garbage and disposal service the city contracts with for this type of removal, has also been contributing to that report, noting how much they've already picked up.
"As of 9 a.m. this morning, they've collected approximately 960 cubic yards of flood debris, enough to fill 50, full-sized yellow school buses from top to bottom," Ament said at Thursday's meeting.
He went on to say that dumpsters are emptied multiple times a day at the New Berlin Recycling Center, where people can bring some of their debris but not furniture.
However, residents say these options aren't sufficient.
"I don't even have the room in my vehicle to do that, nor do I want sewage soaked items back in my car," said Rachel Madden, who is also frustrated with the city's response.
For both Miller and Madden, pickup from John's Disposal won't be available until next week at the earliest.
"Johns cannot come out to remove the items until next Tuesday, and they're only able to take anything that is bagged up," Madden said.
The other option—getting a private dumpster—presents its own challenges.
"Even if you try to get a private dumpster, you can't find one anywhere. They can't schedule you. They're extremely expensive to people who already are at like financial strain due to the loss," Miller said.
Both residents told me they wish New Berlin would provide dumpsters like some neighboring communities have done.
"It would just be really nice if the city could help out," Miller said.
As they continue working through the cleanup process, these residents say they simply want better communication from city officials about available resources and assistance.
More Information: https://www.newberlinwi.gov/
This story was reported by Mike Beiermeister 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.
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
