CINCINNATI (WKRC) – Rain that moved through the Cincinnati area has renewed anxiety for residents still cleaning up from last month’s flooding, as city leaders work to get relief money to impacted families and begin planning longer-term fixes in neighborhoods repeatedly hit by sewer backups.
Cincinnati City Council approved adding another $1 million to Mayor Aftab Pureval’s emergency relief fund this week, bringing the total to $2 million. Cincinnati Vice Mayor Jan-Michele Lemon Kearney acknowledged the fund may not be enough, but the goal is to get money into residents’ hands quickly as cleanup continues.
For Oakley resident Tim Langmeyer, the sound of rain now brings dread after years of repeated sewer backups. Langmeyer said there have been about 20 sewer backups since 2016 caused by heavy rain. His family has gone through two furnaces in 10 years, and he said the storm on July 17 brought 24 inches of sewer water into his basement.
“There are a lot of people that are tired. They’re scared,” said Langmeyer. “When it rains, it creates a fear factor, and unfortunately, we can’t do anything about it.”…