(Louisville, KY) Today at West County Wastewater Treatment Plant, Congressman John Yarmuth (KY-3) announced that he had secured federal funding for three flood prevention projects in the Louisville area.

 “Each downpour should not bring about fresh fears of flooding. Jefferson County families deserve to raise their families in sanitary conditions and should not have to constantly worry about overflow,” Congressman Yarmuth said.  “This funding will help ensure that the residents of Shively, PRP, and other areas in the South and West Ends no longer face this regular and costly threat.”

“We appreciate Congressman Yarmuth’s hard work to improve Louisville’s neighborhoods. This funding will make a real difference for people and businesses in southwest Louisville,” said Metro Louisville Mayor Jerry Abramson.  “People deserve to live in homes where the sewers don’t back up…people deserve to run their businesses without worries that water will flood their offices.”

“On behalf of the city of Shively, I want to say how nice it is to have someone working hard for us in Washington,” said Shively Mayor Sherry Connor.  “This improvement will benefit Shively residents tremendously, and we’re just thrilled that Congressman Yarmuth was able to make it happen.”

The three projects are detailed below.

$96,432– Flood Damage Reduction Feasibility Study
In March, 1997, the area surrounding Churchill Downs, the University of Louisville, and much of Louisville’s West End experienced severe flooding, with damages exceeding $20 million and annual, residual costs over $22 million.  This study will evaluate detention basins, backflow preventors, and modifications to existing pump stations in order to then implement safeguards to prevent future flooding.

$145,632–Mill Creek Flood Risk Feasibility Study
About 3,300 homes and businesses in southwest Louisville, including Pleasure Ridge Park and Shively, are subject to massive flooding from the Ohio River as well as Mill Creek and its tributaries.  In 1988, MSD completed the Southwest Jefferson County Local Protection Project to protect the Mill Creek basin from Ohio River flooding; however, interior flooding in the Mill Creek basin continues to be a threat.  The Metro Louisville Mill Creek feasibility study will provide detailed evaluation of the flood risks, the alternatives identified in 1997, and other flood damage reduction measures.  These measures are expected to significantly reduce or eliminate damages to flood-prone properties in the Mill Creek basin.

$492,200 – Shively Sewer System
Since 2002, about 2 million gallons of sewage have overflowed into the homes and businesses of Shively’s 1,500 residents.  In addition to the tremendous cost and hassle of cleaning up the spills, residents have sited the unsanitary conditions that result from the regular filth and stench.  This funding will be used to construct 21,000 feet of new sanitary interceptor sewers to replace Shively’s outdated pump stations.  Currently, MSD spends about $100,000 yearly to pump sewage into tanker trucks in an effort to prevent overflow for area families, but have experienced only moderate success due to the tremendous volume during heavy rains.