Street flooding again shows need for replacing storm sewer system

The problem has long been known. But even as the problem gets worse, little is being done about it. La Crosse’s storm sewer system is inadequate and outdated and can no longer handle even brief heavy rains. City Hall has been aware of the problem for decades, but continues to put off what would be a pricey fix. In the meantime, like we witnessed over the weekend, dozens of La Crosse streets are prone to serious flooding, leading to wet basements, impassable streets and stalled cars. Five or more inches of rain in a short time tends to do that, but the problem is becoming more common, even without such heavy rain. City Hall tells us increased development in the city has made it harder for our soil to soak up all that water, causing the problem to worsen. And each year that passes without replacing our aging storm sewers with ones that can handle more volume, we will continue to deal with significant street flooding. It would cost millions to replace the entire system, and as the city rebuilds a few miles of streets each year, it is also repairing storm sewers. But there is a price to not investing in a complete fix, with damaged homes and cars, insurance claims and the cost of the response of emergency crews. La Crosse should start planning now for a complete fix, and figure out how to pay for it.