For 4th Time In 15 Years, Shaler Residents Cleaning Up After Major Flooding
SHALER TOWNSHIP (KDKA) -- In Shaler Township, it's déjà vu all over again.
The grim task of cleaning up is once again on the agenda. The remnants of Hurricane Ida hit the area on Wednesday, and it's the fourth time in 15 years major cleanup is necessary. Residents are at wit's end.
Scott Scariot has seen this movie before. Once again, flood waters topped Little Pine Creek, flooding his and all of his neighbors' yards and basements.
"This is the fourth flood we've been through since we lived here," Scariot said.
Once again, Scott and his family have set about their task of clearing the muck and water. Across the street at Mike Naperkowski's house, the story is the same.
"I just finished last year installing this drywall and everything. I guess now I'm going to do it all over again," Napierkowski said.
The problem is the creek itself. In big storms, debris in the form of rocks piles up at a bend. The creek then overloads and spills into the neighborhood.
The town says it will remove mounds in the creek, but the state Department of Environmental Protection forbids the dredging of creeks and streams.
"When the next storm comes, it's just going to happen again and again," Napierkowski said.
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After Hurricane Ivan, the town bought out about 30 homes and leveled them. But the first floors of those homes flooded, and others don't qualify for acquisition because they have basement flooding. Absent a change in government policy, homeowners here just have to endure.
Sadly, there appears to be no solution for these folks except to hope the big rains don't come again.