PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Five days since Ida bulldozed the region, there are still significant complications across the Philadelphia suburbs.
Aqua Pennsylvania had to shut down its Pickering East and West water treatment plants due to the flooding. President Marc Lucca said those plants provide up to 40% of their daily water supply for customers in Bucks, Montgomery, Chester, and Delaware counties.
“I’ve been in this business for 30 years,” he said. “I’ve seen a lot of storm damage. I’ve worked in different parts of the country. I have never seen anything like it.”
Lucca said they have other treatment plants and wells, but with the loss of one of their major suppliers, they need customers across the system to continue to chip in to make sure everyone has water. Simple steps like turning off sprinklers, not watering the lawn or washing the car, or only running the washing machine or dishwasher with a full load.
In Upper Dublin, the township building, police department, an elementary school and the high school were all damaged by a tornado. Upper Dublin School District Superintendent Steve Yanni said while parts of the district were hit hard, others have little to no damage. Regardless, the community is mobilizing as one.
“The community’s been really great. I think the people that were unaffected realize how lucky they were and are grateful they weren’t affected,” he said.
At least the silver lining to the coronavirus pandemic, Yanni said, is they are already set up to do virtual classes for students in storm-affected schools. The district is also working to accommodate families who don’t have power or need a place for their kids to go during the day.
Damage assessment teams are out across Montgomery County surveying the harder-hit areas.