NEWBURYPORT — Tired of watching his yard turn into an above-ground pool after almost every decent rainstorm, one Marquand Lane resident is once again turning to the city for help.
“It’s always been swampy, but we’ve never had water like we have now,” Jake Brussard said. “I’d say about 40% of our yard is ruined. People walk up to me and say, ‘this is amazing.’ It’s literally a sight to see.”
For the past three years, Brussard and his wife, Shannon, have been living at 22 Marquand Lane. Although they’re not originally from the area, the first-time homeowners loved Newburyport enough to move here.
Unbeknownst to the Brussards, nearby city storm drains have a habit of overflowing after a large storm, they say.
“I noticed it probably within the first year here,” he said. “If you walk by them, they’re completely filled to the top.”
A storm drain by the side of Brussard’s house drains particularly badly. In fact, it’s caused quite a bit of trouble.
“It seems like the basin is in that side area and the water is just basically sitting there,” he said. “So, when it rains, the side yard is 3 feet deep. You could jump right into it.”
The water on the side of his house, Brussard added has created an ecosystem of its own.
“There’s frogs and ducks in there,” he said. “The bugs also fly into the side of our house over the summer and I can’t even let our dog into the backyard. People think I’m crazy walking the dog all the time.”
The problem has gotten so bad that Brussard said he’s now starting to notice water seeping into his basement.
“One of our neighbors has mushrooms growing in their basement because of it,” he said. “I’m an outside sales rep for a plumbing company and when you see water like this, there’s a fix.”
Brussard said he reached out to the city last year about the problem.
Last April, Mayor Sean Reardon told The Daily News he wanted to use $120,000 from the city’s remaining American Rescue Plan Act (or ARPA) funds to address flooding concerns near Brussard’s home. Tapping ARPA funds for this purpose would require the city to match the amount for a total of $240,000.
On Thursday, Chief of Staff Christian Cyr said the city has secured a construction company for the Marquand Lane project but will need to secure the money before any work is done.
While half of the price would come from ARPA funds, the matching $120,000 would come from the city’s free cash account under the administration’s capital improvement plan (CIP). The City Council will need to approve the CIP before the next fiscal year begins on July 1, an act that typically happens each June.
Brussard said that could be too late.
“We could have had the most rain of the year by June,” he said. “I know it’s rained a lot in the past couple of years but that’s no excuse. The city has to fix this or we’re going to be coming after them.”
Reardon said in an email Thursday he’s optimistic the City Council will release the funds.
“Residents on Marquand Lane have been dealing with flooding and draining issues for years. Our (Department of Public Services) team has a plan and contractor to address this issue,” he said.
DPS Deputy Director Jonathan Carey said the work would include installing new drainage to connect missing segments.
Brussard has also been working on the problem with Ward 6 City Councilor Byron Lane, who represents the neighborhood.
Reached for comment Thursday, Lane said there are a several nearby residents feeling the same pain.
“I understand his frustration and I don’t blame him for it,” Lane said. “He shouldn’t have to fight like this. It should be a no-brainer.”
For the time being, Brussard said the city seems to be sending out a small water pump during large rainstorms.
“They put the pump next to the storm drain, connect the hose to that pump and are sending the water probably close to 1,000 yards down to another basin,” he said. “Who knows where that water’s going?”