Municipal Services Committee Continues Talk About New Drainage Ditch Rating System

After implementing a for flood-prone streets like Gail Avenue, the city of Darien is working on honing the system’s structure.

Municipal Services Director Dan Gombac presented 11 criteria for the system at Monday's committee meeting. The committee then asked for further development in the ratings system.

“The committee requested a further exercise refereed to a weighted matrix,” Gombac said. “The staff will be working with Alderman Halil Avci in developing the matrix." 

The system is being developed to study the drainage systems in the city and target the ones that damaged homes the most, as blockages and backups have led to flooding on front lawns and ruined foundations. 

Alderman Ted Schauer presented photos of the flooding on Gail Avenue to the city council on June 20 and said that drainage systems have to be fixed sooner rather than later, as the damaged streets in the city won’t last.

“Roadside ditches should be large enough, and have adequate relief drain spacing to carry runoff from storms,” said the ditch rating system report presented at the meeting Monday. “The department continues to gather information regarding the inventory of the existing ditches and compiles work orders on complaints of ditches.”

The criteria now consist of the categories “top priority,” “high priority,” and “low priority.” The suggested revisions include a rating scale closer to the road program, with numerical values implemented for the ditches.

As for the matrix, the committee will discuss it again at the next meeting, which is scheduled for Aug. 22, Gombac said. There have been no flooding problems reported since the decision to create a ratings system, Gombac said.

The program will continue to be developed, however, and will be ready when the project receives the necessary funding.