CINCINNATI — Several businesses along Edwards Road in Hyde Park have struggled to reopen or get back into normal operations more than a week after storms sent flood waters and apparent sewer backups across their floors on April 2.
Landlord Jim Gould called on the City of Cincinnati to do more to ensure the sewers do not overflow in light of the damage as he said this was the third time in seven years it has affected his building.
Neko Sushi's Yeon Kim was hit by all three.
"Every time it rains we get so nervous," she said.
Kim shared surveillance video with WCPO showing the flooding pouring in from the street to the front of her business and backing up from a drain in the back simultaneously.
Along the block, Ossie Boutique remained cleared out as owner Merideth Borchers prepared to redo the floors with an epoxy that would allow them to bounce back from future flooding quicker.
She said her insurance would not cover the floor replacement.
At Castle House, the store was open and staff were able to remove their drying fans Thursday.
They had replaced their floors with an epoxy concrete after flooding in 2021.
Universally, the business owners blamed the city's sewer system for their damages.
"If they know, they need to act," Kim said. "They need to do something for the neighbors."
Kim said she was planning to draft a petition to get the city's Metropolitan Sewer District to investigate the cause of chronic back-ups and develop a long term solution as she works to rebuild.
"I do my best to reconstruct my restaurant, but it has been already closed for a week. I'm not sure when I'm able to open back up," she said.
The Metropolitan Sewer District issued a press release Thursday with advice for anyone who's experienced a sewer back up as rains inundated the region:
1. You can report a sewer backup 24/7 to MSD.
You can report a sewer backup 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by phone at
(513) 352-4900 or online at msdgc.org/sbu. You must report your backup to MSD within 48 hours of discovery to be potentially eligible for reimbursement of damages.
2. MSD investigates every report of a sewer backup to determine whether it’s eligible for assistance through our Sewer Backup (SBU) Program.
After you report a sewer backup, an MSD customer service crew will come out to conduct a sewer backup investigation. Field crews are usually dispatched within four hours or less, but it could take longer during major rainstorms.
Eligible: If the findings show the sewer backup was caused by the MSD public sewer, you may be eligible for a professional cleaning and damage claims.
Not Eligible: You will not be eligible for assistance if the backup you experienced was not caused by the MSD public sewer. Other causes can include clogs/breaks in private building sewers, overland flooding, or other jurisdictional issues. About 85% of the time, sewer backups are not caused by the MSD public sewer and are therefore not covered by the SBU program.
3. MSD provides professional cleaning services at no charge to eligible property owners and tenants.
If your property is authorized for cleaning, an MSD customer service representative will contact you by phone to schedule an appointment with a professional cleaning services company.
4. MSD offers reimbursement for eligible damages from sewer backups caused by the MSD public sewer.
If you intend to submit a claim to MSD for property damage, please thoroughly document damage to your property with photographs and inventory lists.
5. When a sewer backup or water intrusion is not caused by the MSD public sewer, the property owner is often responsible for the cleanup and/or repairs.
MSD strongly recommends hiring a licensed plumber to investigate the issue and a certified water/flood restoration company to take care of the cleanup. Visit our Sewer Backup Resources webpagefor more information about protecting your property.
In a statement late Thursday, the MSD said they received multiple reports of sewer back ups in the Hyde Park area, but not from Neko Sushi, Ossie, or Castle House.
"Unfortunately, this low-lying area is also subject to overland flooding, which is outside of the scope of MSD’s Sewer Backup (SBU) program. Intense rainfall like that which occurred April 2, coupled with the topography of the area, can overwhelm storm inlets (catch basins) and even bypass them, resulting in flooding of homes and businesses that are at or below street level," an MSD communications manager Deb Leonard wrote.
Leonard said several properties in the area have received back up prevention devices as part of the city's SBU program.
"MSD is working closely with the City of Cincinnati’s Stormwater Management Utility (SMU), which is responsible for catch basins and storm sewers in the City of Cincinnati, to understand the issues specific to flood-prone areas," she said. "A solution to the overland flooding issues is part of a more holistic approach which is beyond the scope of MSD’s SBU program."
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