SF City Officials Discuss Overnight Rainfall

by Stacy Steinhagen
July 30, 2010


Around Sioux Falls the record rainfall is causing all sorts of problems.

Safety is the concern from health problems to the dangers of fast moving water.

KDLT's Stacy Steinhagen has advice from the experts.

A man got too close to the Big Sioux Friday morning, carried by the current.  It all happened near Tuthill Park, near Cliff and I-229.

"I think it's very easy to under estimate the power of a flowing river," said Sioux Falls Police Detective Sean Kooistra.

As for those just curious to see all the rising water around the area, they find several road closures and a verbal warning to stay away.

"If you see water over the bike trails, please don't try to go through it, just avoid those areas completely," said Kooistra.

"This is a time to let the city, Public Works department do their job to manage floodwater, get things under control," said Sioux Falls Public Health Director Jill Franken.

But Friday many homeowners are busy just like city officials and rescue workers.

"It makes a big, big mess," said Betty Faver of Harrisburg.

Faver awoke to find water coming in through her basement windows.

"We've got a lot of work ahead of us," said Faver.

It's that work that has Sioux Falls city health officials issuing a sanitary sewer health emergency. The Tuthill pump station in Sioux Falls shut down around 4 Friday morning.  Unsafe water with raw sewage contaminants rushed into homes as a result.

"We sympathize with those who have sanitary sewer backups in their basements.  That's about 40 reported so far," said Trent Ludders, Water Reclamation Superintendent with the Sioux Falls Public Works Department.

Officials warn carpet, mattresses, stuffed animals are nearly impossible to clean of bacteria with the recommended bleach and water. 

"Kinda follow the if in doubt, throw it out rule," said Sandy Frentz, Sioux Falls Public Health Manager.

When cleaning up the mess, health officials urge homeowners to protect themselves with rubber boots and gloves. And to help your neighbors, a plea from public works to discharge your sump pump into the storm sewer in the street and not down your drain.

"Anything people can do to get their sump pumps off the sanitary system.  It is illegal to discharge and it would certainly have less impact on their neighbors downstream," said Ludders. .