By Tracy Overstreet
tracy.overstreet@theindependent.com

Their home at 2811 Circle Drive has had at least 3 inches of groundwater in the basement since April 24, 2007. The water levels have been as high as 23 inches and 16 inches following rainstorms over the past year.

The furnace and water heater have been replaced numerous times. Walls are beginning to mold.

Larson had hired Thrasher Basements of Omaha to replace dewatering pumps and piping that she previously had installed. Thrasher sales staff told Larson the $2,000 worth of new pumps and piping would fix the problem.

It did, but for only 24 hours.

Sunday morning, Larson had 4 inches of groundwater again.

Above-normal rainfall, plus the city's shutdown of high-pressure drinking water wells in the area have been blamed for causing the higher groundwater table. The city's wells were shut down after becoming contaminated with industrial solvents.

"It isn't the city's fault (the wells were contaminated), but it's not the taxpayers' fault either," Larson said.

"You can't shut down wells in this area and not expect to have a problem flooded basements," she said.

"I don't know what the answer is, but I believe the city of Grand Island should take the initiative to do something," Larson said.

The city council had directed that the dewatering issue be discussed during its retreat. A retreat was held in January, but it focused more on team building than addressing problems or setting goals at that time.

The city did distribute a groundwater survey in November to about 4,500 homes located in the floodplain in southern and western Grand Island.

Results of that survey are to discussed publicly at a 7 p.m. study session on March 18.

Larson had asked the city to install a dewatering well in the Circle Drive area, but her request was denied. That's frustrating to her, since the city has select dewatering wells in other parts of the city, including one along Arthur Street located just north of Circle Drive.

Those other wells were installed during a previous dewatering well study between the city and the Central Platte Natural Resources District and are run intermittently.

Despite the lack of success of the in-home dewatering, which Thrasher representatives will reinspect on Tuesday, Larson expressed appreciation to community volunteers who helped her clean out storage areas in her basement on Saturday.

"It took about six hours and everyone was wonderful," Larson said.

Some people helped carry items to a U-Haul truck and then to a storage unit along South Locust Street. Others hauled damaged items to the landfill.

Larson said other volunteers brought cinnamon rolls, doughnuts and drinks for the workers. Some brought money donations to Larson.

One couple even took Larson's Christmas lights down off her roof, as she hadn't had the time to complete that chore.

"One lady came by and dropped off rubber boots," Larson said. "It's just overwhelming what everyone has done."

Larson is hoping the city will take the groundwater issue seriously even if she finds her own solution through filling in her basement or making other alterations.

"I'm pumping 3,000 gallons an hour," Larson said. "When I shut down my wells, I really think everybody in my area will have water."