Mar. 15, 2010: The nor'easter's toll

>> Rooney: TONIGHT ON
GREATER BOSTON, AFTER THE
DELUGE.
NEW ENGLANDERS COPE WITH A
NOR'EASTER THAT HAS SHOWN NO
MERCY.
PLUS A NEW CONCEPT IN
QUALITY CANCER CARE THAT IS
CLOSER TO HOME.

>> GOOD EVENING.
WIDESPREAD FLOODING, POWER
OUTAGES, RAW SEWAGE POURING
INTO THE OCEAN.
THE LONG WEEKEND NOR'EASTER
HAS MADE ITSELF AN UNWELCOME
GUEST IN MASSACHUSETTS.
GOVERNOR DEVAL PATRICK HAS
DECLARED A STATE OF
EMERGENCY AS THE STORM IS
EXPECTED TO DUMP AS MUCH AS
11 INCHES OF RAIN IN SOME
PLACES BEFORE TAPERING OFF
TONIGHT.
ON TAP FOR TOMORROW, DRYING
OUT AND TALLYING UP THE
DAMAGE.

>> 8 INCHES OF RAIN IN
BOSTON AND BROOKLINE EQUALS
1 FOOT WATER LEVELS ON THE
MUDDY RIVER.
AND THAT EQUALS TROUBLE FOR
THE MBTA WHICH PUT UP WALLS
OF SANDBAGS TO STAVE OFF A
DISASTER.

>> WE DON'T WANT A REPEAT OF
WHAT HAPPENED IN OCTOBER OF
'96 WITH MILLIONS OF GALLONS
OF WATER POURED INTO KENMORE
STATION, DESTROYED ALL OF
OUR EQUIPMENT.

>> Rooney: BUT THAT WAS JUST
ONE PROBLEM ON THE GREEN
LINE.
A TORRENT OF RUNOFF IN
NEWTON SUBMERGED THIS OFFICE
BUILDING AND WASHED AWAY
PART OF THE HILL BEHIND IT.
SUSPENDING TROLLEY TRACKS IN
MIDAIR.

>> THERE'S NOTHING WE DO:DO
ABOUT IT WHILE THE RAIN
CONTINUES.
WE'VE GOT TO FIND A WAY TO
REBUILD 9 TRACK BED AND
STRENGTHEN IT UNDEREITHER
THE -- UNDER NAET THE TRACKS
AND WE CAN'T DO IT IN THIS
WEATHER.

>> FLOODING WAS-- DEEP
WATERS SUBMERGED LINDEN
STREET AND OVERWHELMED NEWER
BUILDINGS DESIGNED TO DEAL
WITH FREAK FLOODS IN THE
AREA.

>> IT IS A NEW STORM AND WE
HAVE A LOT OF INVENTORY IF
THERE.
SO WE ARE HE JUST DOING OUR
BEST RIGHT NOW.
AND IT LOOKS LIKE, YOU KNOW,
WE MIGHT BE GAINING ON IT A
LITTLE BIT NOW.
SO HOPEFULLY IT LETS UP IN A
WHILE AND WE'LL BE OKAY.

>> Rooney: BUT OFFICIALS SAY
NOTHING WILL BE OKAY UNTIL
THE RAIN TAPERS OFF TONIGHT
AND THE WATER RECEDES.

>> OUT AT WILL AMINGTON
STATION THIS MORNING ON THE
LOWELL COMMUTER RAIL LINE I
TALKED TO A PERSON WHO HAS
BEEN WORKING ON THAT
RAILROAD FOR MORE THAN 35
YEARS.
HE NEVER SAW THAT LEVEL OF
FLOODING THAT HE DID AT
WILMINGTON FACIAL.
IN FACT, HE SAW A FISH GO BY
THE PLATFORM.

>> Rooney: IT IS A STORM
THAT LEFT ALL OF NEWS WONDER
AT THE POWER OF NATURE.
WITH ME NOW IS FRED LASKEY,
THE HEAD OF THE MWRA, LOUISA
PAIEWONSKY, AND BARBARA
ANTHONY FROM THE STATE'S
OFFICE OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS.
A POWERHOUSE OF KNOWLEDGE.
YOU ARE SAYING IN ONE OF
YOUR METERS YOU REGISTERED
11 INCHES.

>> AND IT IS STILL RAINING
HARD AS WE SPEAK.
REALLY HISTORICAL STORM.
THEY MEASURE STORMS BY
YEARS.
AND THIS IS PROBABLY
SOMEWHERE BETWEEN A 50 YEAR
STORM AND A 100 YEAR STORM.
SO THERE IS WATER EVERYWHERE.

>> DESCRIBE SOME OF THE-- IT
SEEMS LIKE THINGS ARE FAIRLY
WELL UNDER CONTROL
CONSIDERING HOW MUCH WATER
THERE IS.

>> YEAH, I MEAN ON THE SEWER
SIDE THE INVESTMENT AND THE
CLEANUP ON THE DEER ISLAND
TREATMENT PLANT AND THE
BILLIONS OF DOLLARS SPENT TO
UPGRADE THE SEWER SYSTEM, AT
THIS POINT ARE WORKING WELL.
WE'RE MANAGING THE TORM.
THE GOALS IN THE STORM ARE
TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC, THE
NEIGHBORHOODS, THEIR CELL
ARS AND ALSO TO PROTECT OUR
STATIONS TO MAKE SURE WE
DON'T FLOODOUT THE STATIONS
IN THE STORM.
SO WE MANAGE IT AN DIVERT
FLOWS AND RELEASE FLOWS TO
PROTECT THE STATION AND ALSO
TO PROTECT THE
NEIGHBORHOODS.
SO FAR WE HAVE BEEN OKAY.

>> Rooney: I WANT TO ASK YOU
WHY YOU HAD TO MAKE THAT RAW
SEWAGE DUMP INTO QUINCEY
STATE HARBOR, WHY DID YOU
HAVE TO DO THAT?

>> BECAUSE THE LINE THAT
COMES IN ALONG THE SOUTHERN
END OF OUR SERVICE AREA FROM
FRAMINGHAM TO NORWOOD ALL
THE WAY IN QUINCEY WAS
FILLED BEYOND CAPACITY AND
WE WERE IN THE PROCESS OF
FLOODING OUT OUR NETWORKS IN
QUINCEY WHICH IS A MAJOR
FACILITY FOR US THAT HANDLES
ABOUT 400 MILLION GALLONS.
SO WE WERE ALSO IN THE
PROCESS OF FLOODING OUT
PARTS OF QUINCEY.
SO RATHER THAN FLOOD OUR
HESS IN EAST MILTON SQUARE
WE DID THE CONTROLLED
RELEASE TO TAKE THE PRESSURE
OFF THE SYSTEM.
IN THE RELATIVE SCHEME OF
LIFE IT IS A VERY SMALL
AMOUNT OF WATER, ABOUT 8
MILLION GALLONS.
DEER ISLAND STILL 1.3
BILLION AT THE TIME.

>> Rooney: YOU HATE TO DO
THAT.

>> YOU DO, BUT EMILY, IT IS
A CREDIT TO HOW FAR WE HAVE
COME.
IN THE DAY 0 YEARS AGO, IT
HAPPENED ALL THE TIME, EVERY
DAY THEY WERE RELEASING
SEWAGE.
NOW IS AN EXTRAORDINARY
EVENT THAT GAINS A LOT OF
ATTENTION.
SO IT IS A TRIBUTE TO HOW
FAR WE HAVE COME TO CLEANING
UP THE HARBOR.

>> Rooney: WHAT IS THE STATE
OF THE ROADS.

>> WELL, OVER THE COURSE OF
THE STORM WE'VE HAD MORE
THAN 20 STATE HIGHWAYS
EITHER CLOSED OR RESTRICTED
BY RAMP CLOSURES OR PARTIAL
LANE CLOSURES.
WE HAVE BEEN WORKING
THROUGHOUT THE WEEKEND, THE
CREWS WERE PUMPING ALL
NIGHT.
THEY WORKED THROUGHOUT THE
DAY.
THEY WILL WORK OVERNIGHT.
I THINK ONE FEATURE OF THIS
STORM IT WAS OUR FIRST ONE
AS THE MASSACHUSETTS DOT.
GOVERNOR PATRICK CONVENED
ALL OF THE TRANSPORTATION
AGENCY HEADS AS WELL AS THE
STATE POLICE AND NIMA THIS
MORNING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE
WERE WELL COORDINATED IN
HELPING EACH OTHER OUT.
AND IT WENT REALLY WELL.
WE HAD AGENCIES SHARING
EQUIPMENT AND PERSONNEL AND
MATERIALS.
IT WAS, I THINK, A WELL
COORDINATED RESPONSE.

>> Rooney: WELL NOW WHAT
DOES THE GOVERNOR DECLARING
A STATE OF EMERGENCY MEAN TO
YOU.
WHAT DOES THAT HELP BRING
ON.

>> WELL, IT MEANS WE
CONTINUE OUR EFFORT.
IT MEANS WE TRACK THE COST
OF THE TORMS BUT WE HAVE
BEEN WORKING SINCE SATURDAY
PUMPING OUT ROADS AND CATCH
BASINS AND WORKING WITH
SISTER AGENCIES TO MAKE SURE
THAT THEY HAD ENOUGH
EQUIPMENT AND WE HAD ENOUGH
OF WHAT WE NEEDED.
SO THE STATE OF EMERGENCY TO
VERIFY THE LEVEL OF EFFORT
THAT WE PUT INTO IT SO FAR.

>> EVERY TIME ONE OF THESE
STORM EVENTS, THE ISSUE OF
HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE COMES
UP.
I MEAN 99.9% OF IT IS PEOPLE
WHO HAVE FLOODED BASEMENTS
AND FLOODED WHATEVER ARE NOT
GOING TO BE COVERED, RIGHT?

>> I WOULDN'T SAY THAT
NECESSARILY.

>> MAYBE 98.

>> FIRST OF ALL, WE SHOULD
ALL BE THANKFUL THIS ISN'T
SNOW.

>> Rooney: NO, I'M SAYING
EARLIER I WISH IT WAS.

>> MY COLLEAGUES HERE ARE
DOING A WONDERFUL JOB REALLY,
CONGRATULATIONS.
AS A CITIZEN I APPRECIATE
ALL THAT YOU DO.
BUT NO, THAT'S NOT TRUE,
EMILY.
THERE IS A DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN RAINWATER AND GROUND
WATER IN TERMS OF HOMEOWNERS
INSURANCE.
FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU HAVE A
LEAKEY ROOF F THERE IS WATER
COMING IN THROUGH YOUR WALL,
AND SOMETIMES EVEN A FLOOD
IN YOUR BASEMENT MAY BE
COVERED BY YOUR HOME OWNERS
INSURANCE.
AND THAT'S BECAUSE
HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE WILL
NOT COVER FLOOD INSURANCE.
BUT FLOOD INSURANCE MEANS
GROUND WATER.
SO THE CHARLES RIVER
OVERFLOWED ITS BANKS, OR
SOME TRIBUY TAREE OR STREAM
OVERFLOWS ITS BANK, YOU NEED
SEPARATE FLOOD INSURANCE FOR
THAT.

>> Rooney: BUT IF COMES IN
YOUR WINDOWS YOU ARE IN
LUCK.

>> ON THE SIDE OF YOUR
HOUSE.

>> Rooney: REALLY, I HAVE A
LITTLE OF THAT.

>> THE DIFFERENCE IS WHERE
IT IS COMING FROM, IF IT IS
COMING DOWN FROM ABOVE, ARE
YOU PROBABLY GOING TO BE
COVERED.
YOU HAVE TO READ YOUR POLICY
CAREFULLY.
ONE OUR THING I WANT TO SAY
BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY
FOLKS NOW, THIS IS SERIOUS
MATTER, PEOPLE FLOODED.
BASEMENTS, STORM DRAINS
BACKING UP.
IF YOUR BASEMENT FLOODED
BECAUSE OF A SEWER OR DRAIN
BACKUP, LOOK AT YOUR POLICY.
IT'S POSSIBLE YOU MAY BE
COVERED.
SO DON'T AUTOMATICALLY
ASSUME THAT BECAUSE YOU WE
USE THE WORD FOOD IN SORT OF
A COLE OAKIAL, EVERYTHING IS
A FLOOD.
WELL, IT MAY NOT TECHNICALLY
BE A FLOOD IN INSURANCE
PARLOR.
SO THE BEST ADVICE I COULD
SAY TO PEOPLE RIGHT NOW IS
READ YOUR POLICY.
IF YOU DO HAVE WATER DAMAGE,
CONTACT YOUR INSURANCE
AGENT.
AND THINKING AHEAD FOR THE
FUTURE, YOU SHOULD LOOK AT
FLOOD INSURANCE.
IT'S NOT THAT EXPENSIVE.
IF YOU ARE NOT IN A
FLOODPLAIN AREA IT NOT
EXPENSIVE AT ALL BUT YOU
HAVE TO GET IT SEPARATELY.
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS
THE ONLY ENTITY THAT
PROVIDES FLOOD INSURANCE.

>> Rooney: THAT IS THE BEST
EXPLANATION I EVER HEARD OF
IT.
I WAS IN A CONDO AND THE
WATER IS AM CANNING
BRAND-NEW WINDOWS AND I'M
THINKING.

>> CHECK YOUR POLICY.
I LIVE IN A CONDO TOO.
BEHIND MY CHIMNY IT IS LEAK.
IT IS COMING FROM THE ROOF
BECAUSE YOU NEED FLASHING.

>> Rooney: I HAVE FLASHING.

>> YOU HAVE FLASHING.

>> Rooney: THE FLASHING IS
SATURATED.
IT DOESN'T HELP.

>> YOU NEED IT DONE AGAIN
BUT THAT SHOULD BE COVERED.

>> ONE OF THE WE GOT A CALL
FROM ONE OF THE CITIES OR
TOWNS IT, I CAN'T REMEMBER
WHICH ONE THAT DON'T USE
YOUR DISHWASHER OR WASHING
MACHINE.
WHAT DIFFERENCE COULD THAT
POSSIBLY MAKE?

>> TRYING TO PROVIDE SOME
RELIEF TO THE SYSTEM.
A LOT OF LOCAL SYSTEMS ARE
FILLED AS WELL.
I'M NOT SURE WHY THEY WOULD
SAY THAT.

>> Rooney: BECAUSE THEY
DON'T WANT THAT MUCH WATER
GOING OUT INTO THE SEWER
SYSTEM.

>> I GUESS.
I DON'T KNOW.
NOT IN OUR SERVICE AREA.

>> Rooney: I KNOW, I JUST
WONDERED OUT OF CURIOSITY.

>> COULD BE THEY ARE HAVING
TROUBLE WITH THE TREATMENT
PLANT OR IT IS OVERWHELMED
AND THE SMALLER PLANTS
OVERWHELMED AT THIS POINT.
AND I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER
TO THAT.

>> Rooney: THAT ANOTHER
THING.
A LOT OF THE THIS FLOODWATER
NOT TO BE TOO DISGUSTING, IT
CAN GET REALLY CONTAMINATED,
EVEN ALONG ROADSIDES.
IT'S NOT PLAY WATER.

>> NO, NO, STORM WATER AS
WELL.
IT NOT JUST THE SEWAGE.
AT THIS POINT WHEN YOU GET
THIS MUCH WATER IT ALL
BECOMES ONE.
THE STORM WATER COMES OVER
THE TOP OF THE STREET, GOES
DOWN INTO THE SEWER, THE
SEWER COMES OUT ON THE
STREET, IT'S ALL ONE.
AND YOU KNOW, THE WATER THAT
WE ARE-- .

>> Rooney: ESPECIALLY IN THE
CITY OF BOSTON IT COMES
BUBBLING OUT OF THOSE SEWERS
AND RACING DOWN --

>> THE WATER WE ARE TREATING
AT DEER ISLAND IS HIGHLY
DILUTED.
IT IS SAN TORE FLOW BUT
HIGHLY DILUTED.
90% RAINWATER AT THIS POINT.
YOU GET SEVEN OR EIGHT
INCHES OF WATER AND IT
COMING OUT EVERYWHERE,
MIXING EVERYWHERE, YEAH, BE
CAUTIOUS.

>> Rooney: THIS BEING STRIB
DESCRIBED AS KIND OF ONE OF
THE BIGGEST RAINSTORMS IN 50
YEARS, BUT I FELL LIKE WE
GOT MORE RAIN IN THREE DAYS
LAST JUNE.

>> WE DID CERTAINLY HAVE
QUITE A BIT OF RAIN LAST
YEAR IN 006 WE HAD A MAJOR
FLOOD THAT PUT ROUTE 1
UNDERWATER.
OUR CREWS ARE 4 HOURS
AVAILABLE AROUND THE CLOCK.
WE PRIDE OURSELVES IN BEING
THE AROUND THE CLOCK
RESPONSE AGENCY.
AND OF COURSE WE JUST GOT
THROUGH THE WINTER WITH ALL
OF THE SNOWSTORMS.
SO WE WERE READY FOR IT.
IT WAS A LOT OF RAIN AND IT
CREATED A REAL CHALLENGE FOR
US AND OUR SISTER AGENCIES
AS WELL.
BUT WE FELT LIKE WE HAD
HANDLED EMERGENCIES BEFORE
AND WE WERE READY FOR IT.

>> Rooney: WHAT OTHER ADVICE
DO YOU HAVE FOR PEOPLE,
BARBARA.
EVERYBODY GOES RUNNING OUT
AND CROWDS THE HOME DEPOTS
AND GETS THESE WET VAC WHICH
ONLY OLD ABOUT 7 GALLONS,
THEY ARE USELESS IF YOU ARE
TALKING ABOUT SERIOUS WATER.

>> RIGHT NOW EVERYONE IS
RUNNING OUT AND THEY ARE
PUMPING.
I HAD SEVERAL STAFF MEMBERS
CALL IN, THEY HAVE BEEN
PUMPING THEIR BASEMENTS ALL
NIGHT.
SO USING FORESIGHT IN ALL OF
THIS.
NOT TO SAY YOU SHOULD GO AND
DO IT IF YOU HAVEN'T DONE
IT.
BUT HAVING A SUMP PUMP IF
YOU KNOW YOUR BASEMENT IS
PRONE TO GETTING WATER INTO
IT, THAT IS ABSOLUTELY
ESSENTIAL.
BUT SECONDLY, EVEN IF YOU
HAVE A DRY BASEMENT, IF YOUR
BASEMENT HAS BEEN DRY FOR
YEARS, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE
BIBLICAL RAINS, THAT IS WHAT
I CALL THEM.
SO DO, YOU KNOW, INVEST IN
ONE.
BECAUSE THAT IS REALLY I
THINK THE ONLY THING YOU CAN
DO TO GET RID OF IT.

>> Rooney: WHAT ABOUT THE
TECHNOLOGY.

>> THE WHAT.

>> Rooney: THE THING WHERE
THEY DIG THE TRENCH AROUND
YOUR HOUSE,.

>> A MOAT.

>> Rooney: WELL-- IT IS
FAIRLY COMPLICATED.

>> THAT WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE.

>> THE ONE THING I, WE FIND
IS THAT PEOPLE WHO HAVE PUT
ROOMS OR APARTMENTS DOWN IN
THE BASEMENT REALLY NEED TO
BE CAUTIOUS.

>> Rooney: OH, YEAH.

>> THEY PUT A SHOWER RIGHT
DOWN IN THE FLOOR OF THE
BASEMENT.
A TOILET AND THAT BECOMES
THE LOW SPOT OF YOUR HOUSE.
MANY TIMES IT IS A SET TUB
OR SOMETHING UP A LITTLE
HIGHER AND THEY END UP
PUTTING THE LOWEST POINT OF
THE CELLAR BELOW THE SEWER
SO WHEN THAT SEWER FILLS UP,
WHERE IS IT, WATER TRAVELS
DOWNHILL.
YOU SHOULD LOOK MAKE SURE IT
CHECKS OUT.
IN THESE STORMS YOU CAN
ISOLATE YOUR HOME FROM THESE
KIND OF BACKUPS.

>> ONE OTHER THING, THE
CHECK VALVE IS RIGHT.
THE SECRETARY THING IS
PEOPLE WHO ARE RENTEDING,
LIVING IN APARTMENT
BUILDINGS, YOU KNOW, WE
THINK OH, GEE, I'M ON THE
TENT FLOOR, NOTHING IS GOING
TO HAPPEN TO ME.
CHECK THE BASEMENT BECAUSE
IF THE SUPER ISN'T ON THE
BALL CHECKING THE BASEMENT,
THAT DRAINAGE CAN BACK UP
AND THE DAMAGE WILL BE
TERRIBLE.
SO EVERYONE WHO-- IF YOU
LIVE IN AN APARTMENT GO DOWN
AND CHECK THAT BASEMENT.
MAKE SURE IT IS DRY.

>> Rooney: GREAT INFORMATION
FOR ALL OF YOU.
THANKS FOR COMING.
GET BACK TO THE JOB.

>> WE SO TO GO BACK TO WORK.

>> Rooney: WHEN WE CONTINUE
A NEW CONCEPT IN CANCER CARE
TREATMENT.