To the editor:

We, the flood-affected residents of north Pelham and Highbrook, need your help.

Perception is reality, and opinions differ on how the flooding issues should be resolved, but I hope we can all agree time is of the essence. I invite anyone who has never seen the flooding on Fourth Avenue, Fifth Avenue, Sixth Avenue, Seventh Avenue and Highbrook Avenue to join us after the next event, because there will certainly be another, followed by another and another and so on. On average, our homes flood two to four times per year minimum, with water levels varying from two inches to six-feet plus. The longer this decision takes, the more flooding occurrences we will have. If it takes four years until completion, our homes will flood eight to 16 times. Talk about anxiety!

Homes take on water, which comes in from the street; in others, water enters their homes from the sanitary sewer main, and some have both methods of water intrusion at the same time. Flooding that is completely out of our control. We could make extensive repairs and have 10 sump pumps piped out to the street or our lawns, and it would not help because the streets and lawns are flooded, so the water comes right back in.

Have you ever watched your wife hold up a shelf from falling with precious family items on it with flood water up to her neck? Have you replaced your washer, dryer, boiler and water heater more than once in the last five years? Have you ever seen your car floating down the street? Have you ever seen your child’s toys floating along side your neighbors’ feces? I could go on, but I think you get the point. The above does not occur once every 10 years; it occurs every year.

We need help, fast!

Christopher Vassallo

522 Sixth Ave.