Permanent solution sought for persistent New London flooding
Gardner Circle residents say problem stems from pond in Mitchell Woods
New London — One of several Gardner Circle homeowners with waterlogged property is calling on city officials to take action to alleviate flooding issues he says originate from a pond in Mitchell Woods.
Jason Scacciaferro said he awaits a response both from the city and Mitchell College about a worsening problem that involves standing water and constant discharge into his neighborhood. He bought his home at 30 Gardner Circle in the spring of 2018.
He hasn’t ruled out a class-action lawsuit against the city, though he blames the flooding on changes made to the pond in the neighboring Mitchell Woods. Mitchell College is the trustee for the property that is maintained for public use.
Scacciaferro said the problem lies with the fact that concrete was used to fill in a spillway from the pond, which raised the water level. The result, he said, is that instead of naturally draining, the pond reaches a certain level and simply overflows, changing the entire water table in the area.
He also thinks it is connected to the beautification work Mitchell College has undertaken in the woods over the past several years.
“This has been a horrible mess going on for two years now,” Scac
ciaferro said. “The situation is unacceptable and illegal; water cannot be diverted causing flooding or damage to surrounding properties.”
The proof of the damage, he said, is the trees dying off in the area, the yards on Gardner Circle constantly underwater and a smelly, discolored discharge into the street.
In a letter to Mayor Michael Passero, Scacciaferro said, “it is sad that we are starting to feel abandoned and our concerns are falling on deaf ears.”
He said there are at least four properties affected. He has met with former college President Janet Steinmayer and more recently Public Utilities Director Joe Lanzafame.
“They’ve seen the water and where it’s coming from,” he said. “I’ve pushed the city to take control of the situation.”
He said it was during several dry weeks in August that he was able to mow his yard without getting his feet wet.
Passero said he has sympathy for the neighbors and is working to schedule a meeting to discuss the problem. He said he already has devoted many hours of staff time on the issue, which boils down to a private property dispute. He said, however, the city will help try to seek a solution.
In November, City Attorney Jeffrey Londregan drafted a letter to Mitchell College co-Presidents Catherine Wright and Mary-Jane McLaughlin, indicating the pond needed to be pumped down to investigate the cause of the flooding.
“The City’s department of public Utilities has been working with your Director of Facilities in trying to identify if there has been any changes to the pond in the last several years that has led to the recent flooding problem that has transpired,” Londregan wrote.
“We would hope the college, as trustee, would have no objection to this action but please contact me upon receipt of this letter if the college does have concerns,” the letter reads.
The city has not yet obtained permission to drain the pond.
McLaughlin said in an email that the college continues to work with the city to review neighbors’ concerns.
“This includes reviewing whether pumping down the pond will actually provide useful information as to the source of water on the neighbor’s property,” she said. “The origin of groundwater is not simple to determine, so we want to make sure we understand the real source of the problem.”