Rob McGraw

SLIPPERY ROCK — Slippery Rock Borough Council was joined by representatives from Slippery Rock Municipal Authority and Gateway Engineers during its meeting Tuesday, July 21, to further address recent flooding.

The borough experienced significant flooding the night of July 5, which caused Mayor Jondavid Longo to declare a disaster emergency. Longo and borough officials met with the American Red Cross afterward to provide relief to those most affected.

Council chambers were once again nearly full of residents during the meeting, though most attendees previously spoke during the July 14 meeting. They noted spots of flooding near their homes — primarily around Franklin and Center streets and Normal Avenue — and asked for updates on future mitigation.

Nathan Werner, assistant director of planning and project manager for Butler County, was also present and gave borough officials some insight after being contacted by dentist David Gordley.

“Looking at (catch basins on Normal Avenue), they seem like they probably could be in better positions, but a lot of the water that’s coming off those upper properties is getting onto the roads. The curbs, due to many repaving issues and their age, they’re very low,” he explained.

Josh Miller, operations manager at the authority, came to the meeting to answer several questions raised by borough council. He explained the authority’s septic system should not be getting stormwater, but has been.

“It’s tied into our drains and downspouts,” he said.

Supervisor Jeff Campbell questioned why the municipal authority was not properly addressing the points where stormwater is getting into the system.

“We’re never going to solve the problem unless we follow the procedures,” he said.

Miller said he will start sending letters this week to order testing and begin enforcing where improper stormwater discharges are happening. However, he said without the municipal authority taking in stormwater, flooding may get worse.

“We are incredibly willing to help, but it will get worse before it gets better,” he said.

Miller and Campbell agreed there will be more collaboration and conversations between the authority and borough in the future when it comes to this and future flooding events.

Jonathan Garczewski, from Gateway Engineers, said he will use residents’ comments, videos and photos to determine what the borough can do to mitigate flooding further, especially near Franklin and Center streets and Normal Avenue.

That work will begin with figuring out the source of the flooding and whether it originates on borough property or elsewhere, which will determine how the borough is able to handle the situation.