Update: 9-18
Flooding update — 111 signatures and counting. ❤️
I wanted to give everyone an update because there have been some developments since I first posted about the repeated flooding.
The French drain work has finally begun to be completed, which I’m hopeful will help address the underlying problem. However, the continued rain has slowed the process, and with another week of rain ahead, I’m still waiting to see whether the work will be enough to prevent another flood.
I’ve also been working on the housing side of this. Blueprints has been helping me look into assistance, but I was told their housing assistance is limited to people who remain within Washington County. That creates another barrier if I need to leave the county to find safe housing.
I contacted code enforcement as well. At this point, I was told the situation falls under landlord/tenant issues, so there isn’t currently much they can do. I’m still waiting to find out whether there is jurisdiction under property-management/building codes regarding things like mold, standing water, and conditions following repeated flooding.
And there has been some movement on the media side: the Observer-Reporter and Pittsburgh Post-Gazette have both interviewed me about what has been happening.
There is also a financial impact that is easy to overlook. The dehumidifiers and fans that have been running to deal with the aftermath are using a significant amount of electricity, so I’m expecting my next electric bill to skyrocket.
The petition has now reached 111 signatures, and I truly appreciate everyone who has signed, shared, or reached out.
This started with me trying to find a safe place to live after being flooded repeatedly, but it has become about making sure residents and businesses dealing with repeated flooding aren’t left trying to figure everything out alone.
If your home or business has been affected, please speak up and share your experience. The more people who come forward, the more clearly we can show that this is a community issue.
observer reporter link: https://www.observer-reporter.com/news/local-news/2026/sep/17/washington-county-asks-property-owners-to-report-flood-damage/