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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Woman Demands County Action To Stop Flooding Twice In Recent Years, An Overflowing Storm Drain Has Drenched Her Basement On Sinto Avenue

The 100-year flood has inundated the Spokane Valley home of Joann Schneidmiller twice in the last four years.

The schoolteacher blames the county, not the weather, for the flooding, and she wants something done about it.

Two times since 1991, including earlier this month, rainwater from violent summer storms has rushed down Sinto Avenue, overflown a storm drain in front of Schneidmiller’s home in the East 10300 block and gushed into her basement.

Her house and belongings have sustained at least $10,000 in damages in the two deluges, the first of which occurred in July 1991.

Emotional damage also has been high. Clouds in the sky bring fear to her heart, Schneidmiller said, because she doesn’t know if the next rain shower means her basement takes a bath.

After the first flood, county taxpayers paid to repair the damage in Schneidmiller’s basement and replaced her belongings.

They’ll do the same this time, County Commissioner Steve Hasson said Monday.

But Schneidmiller wants more. She wants county crews to dig another drain in front of her home that’s capable of handling the 5,000 gallons of water that twice have turned her basement into a wading pool.

“I don’t want any cosmetic or Band-Aid approach this time,” she said.

Neither does Hasson, to whom Schneidmiller complained after both floods.

The commissioner and Valley resident has instructed county Public Works Director Dennis Scott to handle the problem.

Hasson sent Scott a two-page memorandum Monday telling him to make sure this doesn’t happen again.

“Ms. Schneidmiller is distraught over this whole matter as twice her basement and its effects have been damaged significantly,” Hasson said in the memo. “I would therefore request that we make extra effort to resolve this issue timely and with the sensitivity that a double whammy dictates.”

The commissioner said in an interview Monday it should be easy to corral the rainwater before it gets to Schneidmiller’s basement by digging another drain in the county right-of-way.

“It’s not a big deal to go out and punch a drain in,” Hasson said. “It’s a one-day job.”

Scott was not available for comment.

Schneidmiller said she would appreciate a new drain very much.

“I don’t need to wake up in a cold sweat and sick to my stomach because it might happen again,” she said.

, DataTimes