PORTLAND, Conn. — Gov. Ned Lamont is looking for state funding to help install pumps at Portland's Jobs Pond to help address rising groundwater that's flooding homes in the area.
Lamont announced Wednesday morning that he will schedule the State Bond Commission to approve allocating nearly $188,000 in state funding to install the pumps. The goal is to use pumps to divert groundwater from Jobs Pond into the Connecticut River.
The flooding issues have been an ongoing problem for residents in the area. FOX61's Matt Caron spoke with local residents in April and May about the ongoing issues. In April, residents said that a state of emergency should be declared to free up funding and cut through governmental red tape.
Residents said that the water in the basement is up to the windows, and you can see it from the outside.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal was joined by other state and local officials in April to survey the situation. Blumenthal said he would "personally call Ned Lamont" regarding the situation.
Locals said they were already living on borrowed time, that the "time for talk is over," and that they needed a fix.
Residents were besieged by more water in mid-May as rain added to already rising water over the previous three weeks.
Eight homes were abandoned at that time, and those still afloat were holding onto hope while bracing for more incoming rain.
Portland First Selectman Ryan Curley said at the time that "a lot of people" were working on the issue at the state, local, and federal levels.
Curley had said that in the previous three weeks, 75% of the funding needed to begin the pumping of groundwater had come through, thanks to federal resources.
Veronica Ketch is the fourth generation of a family on the pond. She says it is a relaxing place for her family to get away. However, in recent times it has brought more stress than usual as the water has risen about 20 feet higher than it normally sits.
Arnold Bishop is one of those residents who is pumping the water out of his basement as well and said that each month they keep adding more pumps to stay ahead of the water, which in turn, increases the electric bill.
"By the time we are done, we're probably figuring the pumps and the electrical bills... it will probably be about $10,000," said Bishop.
Now, Lamont said, with the fund's approval and allocation at the state level, it's expected to unlock nearly $563,000 in federal matching funds from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Resources Conservation Service to help with the efforts. Numerous agencies are involved with the Town of Portland at the governor's direction, including the Connecticut Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security, along with the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP).
Lamont said the situation was unique and complex because while the rainfall in the region is above normal for this time of year, water levels at the pond have risen even without any precipitation.
"It's still not clear exactly what is causing it and why this has been unlike any other event the pond has experienced in recent decades," Lamont said. "By releasing these state funds, we can unlock federal matching dollars that will initiate action to pump waters from Jobs Pond into the Connecticut River, which we are hopeful will mitigate the impact of this flooding."
The State Bond Commission will vote on the funding at its next meeting this Friday at 10:30 a.m. in room 1E of the Legislative Office Building in Hartford.
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Jennifer Glatz is a digital content producer at FOX61 News. She can be reached at jglatz@fox61.com.
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