Montgomery City Manager Sheryl Long told residents Thursday that the city's response to devastating east-side flooding six days earlier has fallen short, with 1,500 sewer-backup reports filed and hundreds still uninvestigated.
"Our best effort is not good enough — at least not yet," Long said at a City Hall news conference, as Cincinnati Business Courier journalist Chris Wetterich reported on X.
The July 17 storm dumped five to six inches of rain on Cincinnati's east side in roughly an hour, overwhelming the combined sewer system in neighborhoods including Oakley, Madisonville, Hyde Park, Pleasant Ridge and Mt. Lookout. Montgomery, which borders several of those neighborhoods, was also hit. Metropolitan Sewer District officials have called it a 1,000-year storm. A follow-up storm struck Tuesday, July 21.
As of Wednesday, MSD had completed about 900 of the 1,500 investigations and determined roughly 500 reports are eligible for its sewer backup program, according to WVXU.
That leaves 600 cases unresolved.
Long urged residents not to wait for an MSD investigation before starting cleanup, saying prompt action can reduce additional damage and minimize health risks, according to WVXU's reporting on the news conference.
Floodgate failure
Long also disclosed that a Madison Road flood gate in Oakley failed to close automatically during the July 17 storm due to a mechanical malfunction. About 40 properties sit within the gate's protective footprint, and those owners have been contacted, Long said. She acknowledged that even if the gate had worked, the volume of water would still have caused significant problems, according to WVXU.
How to file a claim
Long directed affected residents to contact MSD directly. According to MSD's customer guide, residents can report a sewer backup 24/7 by calling 513-352-4900 or online at msdgc.org/sbu. Reports must be filed within 48 hours of discovery to be potentially eligible for reimbursement.
One important distinction: MSD covers backups caused by lack of capacity in the public sewer system. If water entered a property through windows or doors as overland flooding, MSD is not responsible for those damages.
To file a damage claim, residents can visit msdgc.org/claims or call 513-244-5100 for a paper form. Claims are typically resolved within 60 days.
Residents unsatisfied with MSD's decision on their claim can contact the SBU Ombudsman at the Legal Aid Society of Greater Cincinnati at 513-362-2801.
What's next
The next Montgomery City Council Business Session is scheduled for Wednesday, August 5, at 6 p.m. at Montgomery City Hall, 10101 Montgomery Rd. Residents with questions can contact the Clerk of Council, Connie Gaylor, at 513-792-8314 or [email protected].
