Bill Thomas attributes much of the flooding that devastated his yard to inconsistent drain pipe sizes and infrequent cleaning of the storm sewer system.

HARMONY — Bill Thomas moved aside the brush behind Dambach Lumber to reveal part of the system directing stormwater from his house on Spring Street to Connoquenessing Creek.

In the gap between underground pipes was a pool of standing water, which he believes is caused by an obstruction in the pipe.

“Every time we get a decent rain ... it backs up,” he said.

Since buying his house in 1991, Thomas has thrown away more than $100,000 in furniture, supplies and other materials destroyed by water in his basement. Installing and running pumps, damage to the house and cleaning up debris has only driven up those costs.

“We shouldn't have to live like this,” Thomas said.

Flood damage can be seen outside the house. Water has seeped into the ground, creating cracks in the road and pushing up the sidewalk. In the basement, two pumps still ran days after a storm.

Thomas is, like many others in this region, a victim of topography. The rolling hills that draw people to Pennsylvania can flood those who live at the bottom.

His street stands in a valley, getting the runoff from Interstate 79 and Route 68.

“This is where all the flooding in Harmony starts,” he said.

Despite the terrain, Thomas said, much of the problem is man-made, pointing to the drain pipes and storm drains. On Spring Street, there are two storm drains. Thomas cleans the drain in front of his house because he believes the borough does not.

He also thinks the series of pipes leading to the creek aren't big enough for the volume of rain in the borough, with bigger pipes feeding into smaller inlets. The borough seems to agree.

“It's a bad situation, because the pipes are large under (Route) 68 and the railroad, but everywhere else it's smaller,” said Harmony Mayor Cathy Rape.

Rape said the borough is researching ways to widen the smaller pipes, including applying for state and county grants.

Thomas also believes the pipe running under Dambach Lumber has been clogged with branches or other obstructions. While the borough used a camera to see if pipes were cracked and a volunteer dug out inlets through the storm sewer system, Rape says there is no set schedule to clean the pipes.

“We probably don't do it as often as we should,” she added.

Though Thomas believes much of the flooding is due to the drainage system, he is also frustrated with the borough's response following a flooding event. He said Harmony would close the road and provide dumpsters, while never offering other services.

“It destroys sidewalks, it destroys property, and they do nothing,” he said.

While he is capable of caring for his property after flooding, Thomas said, he wants to help out other people in the borough who may not be able to pump out rainwater or have their basement weatherproofed.

Thomas said he is looking toward the future residents of the house, even if he is unable to sell it.

“We know we won't be able to sell the house. We want to hand it down to our son,” he said. “We just don't want it to be a burden on him.”