Groundwater bubbled up in the basement of the Carter Community Center in Southeast Queens.

The building is just one of many in the area dealing with groundwater issues.

What You Need To Know

  • Residents, property owners and homeowners are dealing with nearly everyday flooding issues in Southeast Queens
  • The area has seen a significant rise in the water table over the last three decades that has led to constant flooding
  • Residents have had to pump thousands of gallons out of their basements
  • Residents are hoping the city will invest funding into infrastructure changes in the area to mitigate the problem

The issue first started when Jamaica Water Supply Company stopped pumping groundwater in the area in 1996 after the water supply was found to be contaminated. The city took over pumping water in the area, but in taking over the supply, it closed dozens of vital wells.

“When they closed the wells, the water table rose about 30 feet. This is the result of closing the wells,” Manny Caughhman, a resident and leader in the groundwater fight, said.

When NY1 met him last Friday, he was standing in the basement of the Carter Community Center. The basement was once a recreation area and parking garage, but is now the site of noisy pumps and mud build-up.

Ray Baynard owns the building. He said he has two main pumps that run 24 hours a day, pumping 13,500 gallons of groundwater out an hour.

“The water is just increasing. It used to be real small, now it’s getting wider and wider,” Baynard said.

Just a few blocks down the street at the Allen Senior Home, a similar situation is taking place.

The building’s supers were in the process of working with contractors to reroute the groundwater in a bid to mitigate the problem.

“They are trying to understand what is going on below and to see how best they can put pumps in strategic points to get the water out,” Junior, a superintendent at Allen Senior Home, said.

The flooding at Allen Senior Home is so frequent the building raised its electrical equipment.

“I check the weather forecasts on a daily basis. So once it shows rain, it’s worrying for me because I already know there’s going to be water here,” Junior said.

In January, officials, including City Councilmember Nantasha Williams, sent a letter to the city and state’s environmental departments asking for help.

The last time groundwater flooding in the area was studied was in 2017 by the city. Some solutions were proposed, like implementing basins and installing new pipes. But those solutions have yet to materialize.

“The thing that is most upsetting is that there is no plan for a solution year after year after year,” Williams said. “They will tell you about many studies [conducted] between DEP and state agencies and [it] still hasn’t resulted in any substantive solution.”

The council will hold a hearing Friday examining the city’s Department of Environmental Protection budget. Williams will be asking for funding.

In a statement Thursday, the city’s DEP said they are creating a $2.6 billion neighborhood drainage system and added:

“We’re also partnering with the city U.S. Geological Survey to measure and map groundwater levels citywide to better understand water table levels, which will be key to looking for ways to mitigate flooding,” Ted Timbers, DEP spokesman, said.