BOSTON — Just an inch of flooding inside an average-sized home can cause an estimated $25,000 in damage.
As the threat of extreme weather grows, the City of Boston is testing a program designed to help residents better understand — and reduce — their flood risk.
The pilot program offers free flood assessments to homeowners in participating neighborhoods, including Port Norfolk in Dorchester, which is near where the Neponset River meets the Atlantic Ocean.
At one Dorchester condo, engineers examined the property inside and out, looking at utility connections, walls, floors, and other places where water could enter or create hazards.
They also identified a large crack in a relatively new concrete floor.
“We’re trying to look at the things that make the house vulnerable to flooding,” said Scott Tezak, senior vice president and chief operating officer for Tidal Basin.
Tezak said basements can be very critical because they often contain critical utilities and other equipment that can be damaged during a flood.
“That’s something we want to help them identify, make them aware of their risk, and help them mitigate it,” Tezak said.
“This is a proactive step for our community to make sure that we are prepared for the future — the future of sea level rise, the future of storms,” said Delaney Morris-Landry of the City of Boston Planning Department, noting the impact of devastating storms in 2018.
More than 20,000 properties in Boston are considered at significant risk for flooding over the next 30 years, accounting for more than 20% of the city’s properties.
Morris-Landry said much of Boston’s climate planning has focused on large infrastructure projects.
The free assessments turn some of the focus on individual homeowners.
“A lot of people are really interested in being empowered with action because they know some of these larger-scale projects are going to take a lot of time and money,” Morris-Landry said.
Port Norfolk homeowner Ken Cooper, who has lived in the neighborhood for 25 years, said his neighbors frequently talk about climate change, rising tides and flooding.
Cooper signed up for an assessment to find out whether there were affordable steps he could take that could reduce the risk at his home.
“I just wanted to know if there was anything that I should be doing that wouldn’t dig too deep in my pocket to mitigate my risk here,” Cooper said.
Tezak said relatively simple improvements can help homeowners make their properties more resilient. Cracks in a foundation can sometimes be patched to keep water out, while backflow preventers can help stop water from coming through sewer lines into a home.
Homeowners may also be able to elevate utilities in a basement, so they are less likely to be damaged by floodwater. Tezak said that step can sometimes help reduce insurance premiums as well.
According to the federal government, flooding is the most common and most expensive natural disaster in the country.
Boston officials said they hope to launch additional programs in other neighborhoods facing similar flood risks.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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