The Thames River in downtown Chatham near the 5th St. Bridge, on February 23, 2018.  (Photo courtesy of Andrea Cryderman)The Thames River in downtown Chatham near the 5th St. Bridge, on February 23, 2018. (Photo courtesy of Andrea Cryderman)
Chatham

Flood Water Backing Up Sewer Mains

Residents who live near the Thames River in Chatham are being urged to take precautionary measures to prevent flooding in their homes.

Jim Carey with Carey Excavating in Chatham says his company has been getting multiple calls from residents whose basements are being flooded by water that is backing up into their floor drains.

Carey is suggesting that anyone who has a home near the Thames River that was built up to and including the 1960's with a floor drain in it, should plug their floor drain with old rags or bag it off to prevent water from backing up into their house.

He says they have confirmed sewers are backing up on Keil Dr. S. as well as residences on Buckingham Ave., Kensington Pl., Mercer St., Queensway Dr., Thames St., and William St. N. as well as some other streets in those areas.

Municipal officials with the Public Utilities Commission say all of their pumps are running are running, but some of their systems are also collecting water off of the river, so some of the drains are backing up.

They say that flooding should clear up once the water levels start to recede, but that's not expected to take place until sometime Sunday morning.

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