Work is underway on a new berm in Sussex to mitigate future flooding. (Submitted)
The Town of Sussex is taking steps to help prevent flooding in their community.
A $1.2 million berm is being built along a section of the Kennebecasis River.
Chief Administrative Officer Scott Hatcher says this will not completely prevent flooding, but it is a first step, “It is a pre-requisite. It is meant to get us started and protect the area. It will position the town to do further improvements to remediable flooding and other areas of the town.”
In 2014, flooding devastated businesses and homeowners, with $1.4 million in damage to town-owned property.
Hatcher adds that $700,000 of that was not covered by insurance, “The issue we experienced in 2014, is the water seemed to go around the existing berm and impacted the commercial properties. This project will make that area protected by completely constructing the berm and enhancing it to today’s standards.”
The federal government and Town of Sussex are splitting the cost of building the berm.
This project is expected on December 2nd. Following that, Hatcher says they’ll be forming another task force, and get public input, with the hopes of taking further steps over the next decade..
“With the changes in climate and the frequency and intensity of storms that are happening, in this day and age, we are getting more and more impacted, more and more frequently. So we have to learn to adapt or resolve ourselves to living in water that is up to our belt buckle, Hatcher says.
“If we can get this started and get it moving, in five years we can put our problem of surface water behind us,” CAO said. “But it is lofty, it is expensive, and it will take the engagement of our property owners affected.”
