CINCINNATI — Tuesday night at MadTree Brewing, Oakley residents got the chance to get some answers to their questions about last month's flash flooding during the Oakley Community Council meeting.
It's not the typical location for the Oakley Community Council, but President Colleen Reynolds said organizers needed more space in anticipation of the dozens of residents who showed up.
Representatives from the Metropolitan Sewer District, Greater Cincinnati Water Works and city leaders were among those there to answer questions and discuss what happened.
Residents voiced frustration over the flooding damage to their homes.
“On (July 17), our basement filled completely up with sewage water," one resident said.
WATCH: Oakley residents shared their concerns with city, community leaders about recent flash flooding
MSD Director Diana Christy said the storm on July 17 was so severe that it wasn't something the agency could plan for.
But she acknowledged there are potential solutions to mitigate flooding impacts in the future. During Cincinnati City Council Tuesday morning, council members discussed having city administration work with MSD to implement green infrastructure solutions to reduce stormwater runoff.
Christy said long-term solutions to fix the infrastructure will take time and collaboration.
She said MSD received more than 1,900 calls about possible flooding damage and struggled to keep up with the call volume.
However, residents still expressed frustration about how long the process is taking.
“If the city doesn’t fix this, it’s going to happen again," one resident said.
According to data from the Cincinnati Fire Department, Oakley had the most emergency calls related to flash flooding on July 17.
Reynolds said that's why organizers wanted to give residents a chance to share their perspectives and try to get some answers.
"This has been a really tough and devastating couple of weeks," Reynolds said. "We hope that tonight allows for folks to build community and feel heard."
GCWW Deputy Director Jason Fleming also provided an update on the Duck Creek floodgate, which failed during that storm.
He said the floodgate has been fixed but will still be staffed when rain is forecast to ensure it works properly. He said if it fails again, it can be manually shut to prevent issues.
Neighbors also asked about financial relief for flooding damage.
Vice Mayor Jan-Michele Lemon Kearney, who attended the meeting, told residents City Council will hopefully approve at least $1 million in funding as soon as Wednesday.
She said the city will reach out to residents who filed claims with MSD about the funding.
She said residents who haven't filed a claim with MSD should call 513-323-7995.
