How to Report Flooding & Why
Street Flooding
Report Street flooding to NYC by calling 311 or by going to their 311 website. There is a detailed questionaire to report flooding on the the website, that allows you to submit images and other attachments.
Sewer Backups
New York City also has a webpage for reporting sewer backups. They can be reported by calling 311 or by filling in this online form.
The New York City 311 web site has several other pages to report/complain about water related issues. If in doubt call 311. Here are some key ones:
- Water drainage complaints
Report a problem with building or property drainage - Catch basin complaints
Also called storm drains or sewer grates catch basins collect storm water. - Fallen Trees or Branches
If the tree poses an immediate threat to a person's life call 911
Post-Storm Resources
in ressponse to the damages of storm IDA The City of New York developed a list of post-storm resources
Home Heating Oil Spills in Flooded Basements
Residential oil tanks in flooded basements may leak or rupture. If you suspect an oil spill in your home, call the NYSDEC Spill Hotline at (800) 457-7362. For more information on home heating oil spills, visit http://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/8428.html#response or call 311.
How to report flooding & why
The Red Hook NY Rising committee developed a questionnaire after Sandy to guide you in recording your specific observations. Report these to 311 because this is the data the city is looking at, and the DEP (Dept of Environmental Protection that handles potable water, sewage treatment and storm drains) is in many ways a “complaint driven agency.”
The data is public, everyone has access to it. It can be used to map and help diagnose the type, frequency and extent of issues and determine if there is a public sector issue (and fix) related to the flooding, e.g.: is your cellar flooding due to a cracked storm drain pipe? (a City issue) or is the drainpipe from your roof broken? Share photos and video of problem spots with dates and times.
The Red Hook NY Rising committee drainage packet provides a framework for understanding flooding issues and provides some possible remedies.
What are the specific type and location of most critical drainage / sewer problems?
See the images below to see a chart of common drainage issues, causes and solutions, and a Drainage Issues Decission Tree.
See realtime and historical flooding data
Floodnet, a collaboration of NYC, City universities, and others, is designed to record and and make readily available flood data. Realtime and historical data is available from a sampling of known flooding spots including several in Red Hook, Brooklyn.
