Pictured above: Flooding at Riverwalk, September 2024.
Last evening’s rain comes on the heels of several weeks of frequent, at times flash-flooding, storms and leaves our soil saturated with more rain in the forecast for the coming days. When heavy rains fall on such thoroughly soaked ground, it tests the limits not only of our maintenance plans for infrastructure but also of the design of the systems intended to safely carry water away from our homes and businesses. When flash flooding occurs and water begins to collect on the ground, our stormwater system can only handle the water so quickly, and the potential exists for water to flow in unintended areas and damage property. The saturated soil also increases the risk of fallen trees as roots have less force keeping them in place.
Unfortunately, this is a reality of life we must face here in Bridgewater during unusually rainy seasons. We live riverside in a relatively flat area surrounded by hills and mountains, so much of the rain that falls in our area will find its way to us. Our maintenance crew is actively working to keep our stormwater system functioning as best as it can, and we encourage residents to take precautions as needed to protect their properties and well-being during this time.
As a whole, our stormwater system serves us well, but current conditions have it working at capacity. If you see any stormwater issues in town, please let us know at (540) 908-4212.
Sign Up for Emergency Alerts
We also want to take a moment to remind you that, if we ever face a flooding emergency here in Bridgewater, we will use the Voyent Alert! system to keep you informed. It is essential that you sign up to receive the alerts by whatever channel(s) suits you best: app, email, text, or phone call.
What is Voyent?
Voyent Alert! is an alert notification system that allows Town staff to send out important information in a timely manner to citizens by text message, e-mail, or recorded message (or all of the above). We can target alerts to specific streets and neighborhoods or send out an alert to everyone in town.
What kind of alerts do you send out?
We only send a few alerts out over the course of a year, but they are always important, time-sensitive messages. We will let you know of hazardous conditions, potential dangers, and utility outages in your area. We highly recommend that residents sign up to receive alerts through the app, by email, by text, and/or by phone as best suits them.
How do I sign up?
You can visit Voyent’s website to sign up for email or text alerts, or you can download and install the Voyent Alert! app on your smartphone through the Apple app store or Google Play. If you don’t have a smartphone or Internet access, we can add you to the Voyent Alert! system so you can receive phone alerts by cell phone or landline. Call (540) 908-4212 for assistance.