Drainage & Storm Water Management

The Town completed four drainage studies (See the links to the Studies below).  The four drainage studies include six focus (watershed) areas, which are shown on this map. Recommendations from all of these drainage studies have been categorized into tiers.  These tiers have been prioritized and the Tier 1 improvements for all six study areas cost approximately $170 million as described in the table below.

The Town will continue to pursue grant funding for these construction projects, but is currently relying on the Town’s Capital Improvement Program for funding.  The Town’s Capital Improvement Program has $7 Million available in 2023 and $5 Million each year thereafter starting in 2024.

Advancing projects in several drainage areas, versus focusing on one drainage area, has multiple benefits, including spreading out the disruptive impact (traffic, noise, accessibility, and aesthetics) of construction, ability to break work up into smaller phases, more manageable construction packages, and providing interim drainage benefits to several drainage areas.  

The Town completed four drainage studies, which include six focus (watershed) areas, shown on this map.  Recommendations from all of these drainage studies have been reviewed with proposed improvement projects planned for each area.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the drainage study being conducted?        
During storm events, the Town receives street and basement flooding complaints. From the complaints and town staff observations, the Town has identified the locations where flooding is a problem. The drainage studies were conducted to evaluate the existing storm drainage systems to reduce and if possible eliminate the severity of the street flooding.  In some cases, basement flooding is caused by the spread of street flooding.

What is the objective of the study? 
The objective of the study is to alleviate street flooding for the 10-year storm and achieving one-foot of freeboard. The recommendations include flow from private inflow and infiltration, which includes sump pumps, foundation drains and roof leaders from approximately 90% of the homes in the project area. 

What is the plan to keep water out of our basements?
The pamphlet published by the Metropolitan District provides guidelines on what you should know to prevent sewer backups and report sewer emergencies.  

• East Branch Trout Brook
• West Hartford Drainage Study Phase I
• West Hartford Drainage Study Phase II
• Linbrook Area Ground Water Study

The Town of West Hartford's Annual Report for the Discharge of Storm Water from Small Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4) contains several components of its Storm Water Management Plan. Some of these activities include public education and outreach, construction storm water management, pollution prevention, and good housekeeping. All of these efforts greatly improve the storm water quality in West Hartford. 

Below is the Town's 2024 MS4 Annual Report. Hard copies of the 2024 MS4 Annual Report are available in the Town Hall Engineering Division (Room 204), and the Noah Webster, Bishops Corner, and Faxon Libraries.

Please direct your comments and question to West Hartford's Director of Community Development, Duane Martin. 

Please click on the .PDF below to open report. 

Floodplains are defined by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as any land area susceptible to being inundated by floodwaters from any source.  Floodplains can be reviewed on FEMA.gov. Go to Flood Maps at the FEMA Map Service Center.

Click here to find how to use the Citizens portal.

Click on .pdf to open