40,000 gallons flood these New Castle County homes daily. Why authorities deny responsibility

Residents of a New Castle County neighborhood are becoming increasingly frustrated with the lack of action from water-utility service providers regarding the constant flow of water flooding their homes and yards.

According to the homeowners, approximately 40,000 gallons of water seep into their properties, yards and roads every day without interruption. Both the water utility company Veolia and the city of Wilmington, which supplies water to parts of the community, say the water isn't theirs.

The suburban community of Edgemoor Terrace is located outside of Wilmington near I-495 as it snakes along the Delaware River. Philadelphia native Raikka Brent moved to Van Dyke Drive in 2017.

“I'm fresh off a divorce. It was what I needed,” Brent said. The neighborhood’s proximity to highways was convenient for Brent's commute back to Philly. She likes her small house and quiet neighborhood.

But the first signs of trouble surfaced in 2019 when water flooded her fully finished basement.

Brent was billed by the city of Wilmington for water service, and she said she contacted them first. According to Brent, in response to her complaint, the city inspected the issue and concluded the problem was related to untreated water, falling outside the purview of Wilmington. She then reached out to Suez, the predecessor of the current private water utility Veolia, which serves North Wilmington and numerous communities in northern New Castle County. Brent said Suez informed her that the problem was merely groundwater seepage and not significant enough for them to address. Subsequently, Brent installed a sump pump and experienced little issue until February 2024.

More than 40,000 gallons a day, $400 a month and $40,000

Brent said the sump pump she had installed in 2019 started running continuously around Feb. 17. Then after four consecutive days of heavy rain during the first week of April, the sump pump failed and water flooded the house. The water continues to enter the house unabated. Brent hired a private contractor to install a French drain and two additional sump pumps — one for each side of the house — to pump the water out of her home and into the street.

Contractor Jim Tortella of JCJ Concrete said the two sump pumps are struggling to keep up with the water flow, even as they are running simultaneously. He also advised that because they are powered by electricity, it's likely that Brent's monthly electric bill will skyrocket.

"Her electric bill probably is $400 a month just for these pumps," Tortella said.

While digging the French drain, Tortella said he found what he believes is a culvert pipe. "It’s underneath her heater, in her floor, 33 inches round. It's cement."

The contractor said he thinks it extends under all the homes near Brent's running into the intersecting street because there is a crack in the road that also continuously seeps water. “No matter how wet or dry it is, there's water down there bubbling out of the street,” Tortella said.

Brent now works from home to manage the disaster that has upended her home. “It's like I can't enjoy my space," Brent said.

Although her basement was destroyed, Brent's homeowner's insurance will cover only the sump pump failure, she said. She estimates she'll have to spend $40,000 out of pocket to restore her home.

The flooding isn't limited to Brent's house. Emails sent to Delaware Online/The News Journal show another homeowner claiming her sump pump's monitor recorded that it pumped 912 gallons on April 4, 2024.

Veolia and Wilmington say it's not their water

Brent's next-door neighbor Tim Dunham said the flooding problem existed before Brent moved to the neighborhood. According to Dunham, this is the fourth time since 2014 that the neighbors have had their homes and yards flooded. He said the first year the problem occurred, Wilmington Public Works addressed the concern, successfully resolving it.

Subsequently, when flooding happened again in 2018, the city conducted an investigation and concluded the problem originated with Suez-controlled infrastructure located in the nearby neighborhood of Edgemoor Gardens. Dunham said Suez took steps to address the issue at that time, seemingly resolving it until it recurred in 2019 and once more in 2024. Now, both Veolia and Wilmington Public Works deny that the problem stems from their water systems.

In response to an inquiry from Delaware Online/The News Journal, Michael Bard, a manager of communications and community relations for Veolia, stated that the company's service area does not cover Brent and Dunham's Edgemoor Terrace neighborhood. Also, no leaks have been detected in tests of the company's infrastructure anywhere in the area, Bard said.

However, in an email forwarded by residents, Bard offers additional details. The spokesperson states Veolia's investigations identified what it believes is "a customer side leak" a short distance uphill from the homes on Van Dyke Drive. In the email, Bard explains that they observed water running into a catch basin that appears to drain into a gully behind area residences, and they plan to address it.

"We did not find anything on Pennewell that would indicate a water main leak. We do plan to work on addressing the issue on River Road and Rysing Drive," Bard said in an April 16 email. Rysing Drive intersects with Pennewell Drive, which is uphill from Van Dyke Drive.

Later, in an email dated April 19, Bard further explains that their investigation found that the water originates from a private property whose address is served by the city of Wilmington. He said untreated water is "entering from a 6" corrugated pipe" running to an old manhole under the homeowner's deck. He said it is unclear where it starts, but it drains around Pennewell Drive and "eventually" Van Dyke Drive.

Neither service provider indicates that they plan to look for the source of the water flooding the properties downhill. Bard concludes the April 19 email by stating that their investigation was "an effort to assist and provide additional information."

In an email also dated April 19, 2024, Wilmington Public Works' assistant water division director advised residents that no leaks had been detected during tests of their equipment, and since the water flooding their properties is untreated, no further investigation is planned.

Little support from authorities as rate hike takes effect

The continuous flooding has heightened concerns about the structural integrity of their homes and the specific threat of sinkholes. Residents are becoming increasingly frustrated due to the absence of a permanent solution from any local government or utility.

They said the only elected official who has responded to their requests for assistance came from Councilman John Cartier, who represents the 8th District, which encompasses Edgemoor Gardens and Edgemoor Terrace. Cartier has been involved in holding the water authorities accountable since the 2014 incident.

"There doesn't seem to be an individual or individuals that can get the powers to be to come out here and really do their due diligence," Dunham said.

Cartier's office advised the homeowners to contact the Delaware Public Service Commission. In filing a formal complaint with the Delaware Public Service Commission, the complaint must identify a law, rule or order that has been violated and request the relief. The formal complaint process requires parties to produce evidence to support their case and may require the complainant to appear for a hearing.

Earlier this year, the Delaware Public Service Commission approved Veolia's request to raise rates for its customers, which went into effect April 1, 2024. The average residential bill is expected to increase by approximately 4.02%

According to its website, Veolia's water system includes 550 miles of water pipeline and serves a population of over 100,000 people in areas of New Castle County, encompassing unincorporated communities, North Wilmington, Bellefonte and Claymont. The utility company processes water sourced from the Red Clay and White Clay creeks, with an average daily demand of 14.5 million gallons at the plant.

You can contact reporter Anitra Johnson at ajohnson@delawareonline.com.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Water utilities deny responsibility for flooding of Edgemoor Terrace homes