Updated 8-17-26 Presentation #51: This updated record is being shared regarding the status of our neighborhood’s storm-sewer system and the City and State responses. Our concerns must be given the highest priority.
To: Our Neighborhood Flooding, Sanitary Back-Up, and Break Victims
Concerned Taxpayers and Residents
City, State, and Federal Officials
Brief History:
The Allen St. Storm-Sewer System serves 177 acres of developed, congested, residential neighborhoods. Intense rainfall easily overwhelms this compromised, outdated, and undersized storm-sewer system and our retention pond. Our particular section of this acreage bears the brunt of the flooding, along with sanitary backups and breaks. The Allen St. Neighborhoods are not in a designated flood zone, but we are forced to carry flood insurance.
The unhealthy contaminants in the floodwater include bacteria, fecal matter, fats, oils, grease, etc. We have experienced 15 floods since 2018, with each creating an open-air cesspool on Allen St. and in the surrounding neighborhoods.
The elevated terrain in our area causes uncontrolled floodwater to surge through our properties. Water tables rise, and floodwater infiltrates and saturates our land. The increased underground water pressure threatens our foundations, slabs, and structures. Factor in related hidden underground soil erosion, settling, shifting, and potential sinkholes; our foundations and structures are at further risk.
As we all know, the Allen St. Flooding Problem continues to threaten our properties and structures with each passing rainstorm, including the recent flooding events from Wednesday, July 29, 2026, and Monday, August 3, 2026. We sent photos of the typical flooding to Mayor Sanchez, Chief Gerratana, Alderperson McNamara, Director Moriarty, and Representative DeFronzo.
The outdated Allen St. storm-to-sewer cross-connections penalize ALL taxpayers because additional stormwater enters the Allen St. Sewer System, increasing our pumping and treatment fees from Mattabasset. Factor in the flooding inflow, infiltration, overflow, and cross-connections, along with the sanitary backups and breaks; we continue to have a critical situation in the Allen St. Neighborhoods.
Our neighbors first learned of the Allen St. Problem in 1995. Our neighbors have become numb and apathetic due to the political delays, distractions, deflections, and distortions surrounding the Allen St. Public Infrastructure Problem. The Allen St. Problem is not a political issue; therefore, the Allen St. Project must be immune from this political nonsense for everyone’s benefit.
The Allen St. Problem is designated as the severest flooding issue in the City of New Britain. The cause and effect is obvious. Weston-Sampson Engineers noted in 2023, “The Allen St. Project must be a priority because the infrastructure is at CRISIS LEVELS.”
Previous City Administrations chose to kick the Allen St. Project down the road, allowing the problem to deteriorate further. Our quality of life continues to suffer, our safety remains in harm’s way, our property values have decreased, and 50+ properties and structures are at risk because the Allen St. Problem has been ignored, neglected, and mismanaged. The Capital Region Council of Governments noted in their Mitigation Plan (2019-2024): “The Allen St. Project must be a high priority project.”
Former Mayor Erin Stewart wrote during her 12 years in office, “The Allen St. Problem is a definite hazard. The Allen St. Project is our most pressing need. The Allen St. Project is critical to resolving chronic issues including flooding due to storm-sewer failures, sanitary back-ups, and breaks due to insufficient capacity and the system’s age.”
Over the years, when the contaminated water recedes and during dry spells, our Public Officials have conveniently forgotten us. We are told that the Sanchez Administration is making progress. Out of respect for our victims and taxpayers, we have the right to know the status of planning, approvals, construction, and related matters. We are therefore requesting routine Progress Updates.
Current Conditions:
Mayor Sanchez, Representatives DeFronzo and Hayes, and Governor Lamont have stepped up, as promised, to secure the required $15M in funding for the Allen St. Project. As Representative DeFronzo noted, “No money from the New Britain General Fund will be used for this project.”
In 2013, the Allen St. Project was estimated at nearly $7M. The delays have cost all of us. We must construct the long-overdue upgrades to storm, sewer, and water ASAP, avoiding more expenses that impact taxpayers. A sense of urgency is required by all City and State Officials.
It is crunch time; 216 days remain until the Spring of 2027, the promised start time for the Allen St. Project. Construction will take at least 2 years. Barring any complications, we will have to wait at least 30 more months for the Allen St. Project to be completed. We cannot slow-walk this project to the finish line.
Over the next 30 months, we will need timely updates from Mayor Sanchez’s Administration on the progress of the Allen St. Project Planning and Construction. It’s all about communicating the facts to our flooding victims and taxpayers. Silence from our elected and appointed officials is unacceptable.
1) Progress Update: Finalize all funding requirements.
2) Progress Update: Finalize project plans with approvals and a definitive timeline for the required storm, sewer, and water upgrades. Finalize construction start and completion dates.
3) Progress Update: Finalize the bidding process with final funding numbers and list the participating contractors.
As Mayor Sanchez recently noted, our administration has been clear from the beginning: “Taxpayers should not be forced to bear the financial consequences of the actions of former public officials.” Previous Administrations failed to prioritize, fully fund, and build the Allen St. Project over the past 30 years.
Former Public Officials’ inaction forced many of us to construct Flood Risk Mitigation Systems on our properties and structures, hoping to avoid future damage costs and claims. We were forced to bear the financial consequences of our former Public Officials’ INACTION.
Experts tell us that every dollar spent on flood mitigation saves an average of 6 dollars in future damage costs. Smart Residential Mitigation Strategies lower the financial burden on local governments, property owners, and, in this case, ALL TAXPAYERS.
4) The record is clear: Many of us were forced to fortify, rehabilitate, and mitigate our properties and structures because our previous Public Officials failed all of us. We completed our Flood Risk Mitigation Improvements at 24 Roxbury Road, hoping our efforts would reduce potential flood damage and claims. Our property is ground zero downstream from the compromised Allen St. Storm-Sewer System.
Recently, we asked Ward 4 Alderman McNamara to revise his 2024 Resolution #36619 to create a streamlined, comprehensive City-Taxpayer/Cost-Sharing Flood Risk Mitigation Reimbursement Program to help our owner-occupied properties.
To date, we have NOT received the promised revised resolution from Alderman McNamara. Alderman McNamara reported that Mayor Stewart rejected his original Resolution #36619 in 2024.
DEVELOP & FUND THE CITY-TAXPAYER/COST SHARING FLOOD RISK MITIGATION REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM!
Thank you.
F&S Chase
Stay Informed-Better Yet Get Involved
Flooding Victims and Taxpayers In Good Standing
Independent Voices Matter-Humanity Over Blind Obedience
For more information visit: http//newbritainprogressive.com/category/neighborhood-flooding/
or call Frank Chase 860-989-7205.
