Bergen County residents seek solution to ongoing flooding problems

Some areas like Hillsdale flood all the time, even if it's a minor rain event.

News 12 Staff

Jun 15, 2022, 2:21 AM

Updated 848 days ago

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Residents in Bergen County have been plagued by flooding problems despite how big or small the storm - prompting them to demand action from officials to fix the issue.
Some areas like Hillsdale flood all the time, even if it's a minor rain event. Chris Adimando says he always keeps a close watch on the brook near his house because of flooding.
"It has become a mental issue for many of us, let alone the physical issue of no sleep," says Adimando.
Three times over the last two months Adimando has had to deal with flooding. Adimando says he knew when he moved in seven years ago that it was an area prone to flooding, so he expected it with major storms but not with every little rainfall.
"A major storm, a major hurricane versus a half inch of rain is a very vast difference," says Adimando.
Adimando says the Woodcliff Lake reservoir has too much water. He's part of a growing number of residents, mayors and lawmakers who are calling on the state to step in.
Sen. Holly Schepisi sent a letter to Gov. Phil Murphy urging him to use an executive order to force the water company, Veolia, to lower the reservoir from about 95 feet to 91 to see if that would help runoff and spillover. So far, there's been no word from the governor and no word from the water company.
"And they say we're not in the flood mitigation business. I get that, however, the state of New Jersey should be," says Schepisi.
Erin Fahey's family has lived next to Pascack Brook for nearly 40 years. She says they have dealt with flooding a handful of times during major storms. Fahey says she can remember seeing the brook fill up before storms.
"If you lower it, there's a place for the water to go and instead there's no place for it to go and it's coming into people's homes and businesses," says Fahey.
Fahey says she has seen no signs that officials will lower the reservoir.
Schepisi has introduced a bipartisan bill that would address some of the flooding problems.