August 10, 2025 – Washington Co., WI – Neighbors across Washington County, Wi, are assessing damage and lending a hand with cleanup following several rounds of heavy rain Saturday and Sunday. Rainfall totals, power outages, and local flooding details are below. Submit your flooding/damage photos to washcoinsider@gmail.com
Roads have been shut down in the area because of localized flooding in West Bend and Germantown, WI.
A couple notes:
- There are power outages across Washington County, WI, and neighboring communities. Ozaukee 1428 – Sheboygan 58 – Washington 2742 – Waukesha 8658
– Games have been cancelled at Carl M. Kuss Memorial Park because of flooding.
- Shalom Wildlife is closed because of high water
- Village of Richfield, WI – The Village’s DPW has been tending to multiple reports of fallen trees from these recent storms, along with flooding and washouts. If you see a tree partially or fully blocking a road, please contact the Washington County, Wisconsin Sheriff’s Office Non-Emergency line at 262-335-4378. We will be placing a truckload of sand and sandbags out in front of the salt shed at 1345 Hillside Road starting Monday morning. Until then, a pile of stone and sandbag supplies have been placed outside for those in immediate need.
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- Village of Germantown, WI – What is a Sanitary Sewer Overflow and Why Does Heavy Rain Effect Our Sewer System?
We have been getting questions about what a sanitary sewer overflow is and why the heavy rains effect our sewer system. Unlike water lines, sewer lines are not pressurized and are not entirely watertight. Over time pipes crack, gaskets deteriorate, tree roots grow into cracks and water infiltrates the sewer system. Many of these issues are on private sewer laterals. The Village has partnered and will continue to partner with MMSD on Private Property Inflow & Infiltration programs that reduce the amount of rainwater that gets into the system. In addition when there is flooding water can get into the system directly through bathroom fixtures or drains. Our sewer system, like all sewer systems is not watertight.
During a heavy rainstorm like this one, the amount of rainwater that gets into the system causes extremely heavy flows that overwhelm our pipes and lift stations. When this happens, we set up auxiliary pumps and pump the rainwater/sewage mix directly into the river. While this is obviously not good, it is better than the alternative of having the sewage back up into basements.
Residents can help alleviate this situation by reducing your water usage until the amount of rainwater flowing into the system subsides and the lift stations can catch up.
Our last overflow was in 2006 and once this event is over we will analyze the data and see if there are any steps we can take to further secure our sewer system. - Neighbors are chiming in with some heavy rainfall totals and more precipitation is on the way.
August 10, 2025 – Washington Co., WI – Well that was a good soaker. Chime in with your rainfall totals across Washington County, WI.
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