RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Richmond residents are frustrated by water flooding in their neighborhood, which they allege is from ongoing storm drainage issues since 2019.
According to Richmond resident Kevin Randesi, when it begins to rain — whether light or heavy — water will begin to flood a particular area in his neighborhood on Rodman Road.
Randesi said the area has been covered over the past few years, blocking water from being able to flow into storm drains. He said water will flood around and onto properties, causing damage and dangerous conditions for residents.
“Safety wise — if you have water that comes up from the ditches and onto the streets, that makes it hazardous conditions [to] drive in,” Randesi said. “If you have children around that are playing around in this water, it’s very unhealthy for them, too.”
In 2020, Randesi reached out to Richmond Department of Public Utilities (DPU) about the flooding issue and DPU officials responded to the area to address it. According to Randesi, DPU said the issue would be fixed.
“[DPU] stated that it would go ahead and clean the storm drains, but they never did, and then their plan of action was to replace this culvert pipe that’s underneath Rodman Road and the last communication I got on that was back in 2021, when the guy said that the pipe was on back order,” Randesi said.
Randesi then decided to take further action by hiring an attorney, as well as began maintenance work to provide some relief to the flooding on his property.
“I went ahead and rented an excavator to dig up the ditches after calling the City of Richmond and them doing nothing about my drainage issues,” Randesi said. “I dug out the ditches deep enough and built it up deep enough on my property so that it wouldn’t flood no more there.”
Emails shared with 8News showed Randesi and his attorney continued communication with DPU. After DPU officials made another visit to the property, they responded to the emails in May 2023.
In an email, a spokesperson for DPU responded to Randesi with the following statement:
The observed conditions of any stagnant water or negative drainage is a result of the impairments of the crossroad pipe and the restrictions identified within the enclosed piping system on the property of 10 Rodman, in which we do not currently have access to. Maintenance will continue in the areas with grading and debris removal of those areas we walked.
Howard Glenn, Operations Manager, Richmond Department of Public Utilities.
8News was told residents also reached out to Richmond City Councilwoman Reva Trammell of the 8th voter district about the flooding issue in their neighborhood.
“I know it floods over there. It’s bad. I’ve seen it. I’ve been over there — right after the flooding and to Kevin’s house, and also to the other person’s house up the street,” Trammell said.
Trammell also contacted DPU on behalf of the residents experiencing flooding in the area and was met with a response from the city’s deputy chief administrative officer for operations:
Ma’am DPU has received this communication from the property owner previously. The property owner has obtained legal counsel to represent him for claims and damages, therefore all communication will now come through the city attorney’s office.
Robert C. Steidel
City of Richmond Virginia Deputy Chief Administrative Officer for Operations
Randesi hopes the flooding issue will be fixed soon as residents living in the area pay storm water dues for the maintenance and upkeep of the storm drain systems.
“I just hope they send somebody on out here to come up with a permanent solution and get this fixed, and I think I would speak the same for me along with my neighbors,” Randesi said.
