Damage from recent flash flooding in Greater Cincinnati does not meet the threshold for federal disaster aid, according to initial assessments.
The Hamilton County Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency has submitted its report to a state agency for confirmation, which is expected later this week.
Storms on July 17 dropped unprecedented amounts of water in a very short amount of time, causing flash flooding and sewer backups in portions of Cincinnati, Fairfax, Madeira, Norwood, St. Bernard and Silverton.
According to Hamilton County Emergency Management, one person died and three others were injured when five to six inches of rain fell over a three-hour period, damaging homes and businesses, and snarling traffic. Additional storms and rainfall on July 19 and 21 exacerbated the problems.
"We knew going in that disaster eligibility was unlikely," said Assistant Cincinnati Fire Chief Matthew Flagler. "That sounds like we didn't have any impacts, or we had a very minimal event, and we know that's not true."
The threshold for a disaster declaration is 25 properties that meet Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) definition for major damage or destroyed.
The report indicates 118 properties that were assessed — 89 residences and 29 businesses — were determined to meet FEMA's damage criteria.
Of those, only eight properties in Cincinnati and one property in Fairfax was determined to have "major" damage. Most were determined to have "damage that requires minimal repairs." No properties were destroyed.
"Our real impact, we know, is far higher, with thousands of properties affected," Flagler said. "The sewer backup numbers, combined with the damage assessment that we sent to the state, is a much more accurate picture of the impact on our neighborhoods and communities."
Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval declared a local emergency on July 21. A spokesperson for Pureval told WVXU Tuesday the city is still pursuing "all avenues of relief at the state level."
As for communities beyond the Cincinnati city limits, Hamilton County EMA Director Nick Crossley told the Board of County Commissioners last week that there could be other funding avenues to pursue, but they would be outside the emergency management auspices.
Toni Ewing of St. Bernard reached out to the board Thursday seeking help for communities repeatedly affected by flooding.
"I am just trying to find out how we go about making sure that all these communities are involved in the assessments when it comes to trying to fix the flooding and helping us financially to rebuild," she said. "Where's the additional — or is there any additional — funding that we can receive somewhere to help us as well? I'm very happy that the other neighborhoods got it, and it happened very quickly. But we need help too."
One possibility is the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities Program, or BRIC, though federal funding for emergency management projects and disasters has been cut dramatically under the second Trump administration.
Crossley also noted the BRIC funding for flood mitigation projects and the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program would likely require matching funds from local municipalities.
Cincinnati Council response
City Council's Climate, City Services and Infrastructure Committee voted Tuesday to request a review of the city's response to flash flooding and other major weather events.
Ten residents spoke during public comment, urging the city to take action.
"We understand that the July 17 event was an extraordinary event," said John Menninger from the Hyde Park Neighborhood Council. "We're not suggesting that infrastructure should be able to handle that alone. However, it was not the first time that our areas have flooded."
Menninger and others pointed to flooding and sewer backups during major storms in 2016, 2021, and 2024.
Council's motion requests city administration to work with the Metropolitan Sewer District of Greater Cincinnati (MSD) to evaluate the feasibility of implementing:
- Expanded green infrastructure solutions to reduce stormwater runoff
- A watershed-based flood mitigation planning approach
- A Flood Resilience Task Force to identify risks and recommend solutions
The motion requests a report within 120 days with recommendations, estimated costs, and potential funding sources. The motion specifically requests analysis of whether proceeds from the sale of the city-owned Cincinnati Southern Railway could be used. That money can only be spent to maintain or replace existing city-owned infrastructure.
Committee chair Meeka Owens says the city will have to commit to an ongoing effort.
"We must focus on not only short-term solutions, but also be relentless on how we tackle the climate crisis that's here," Owens said. "This also means having vision and foresight to allocate funds now to accelerate capital improvement plans for MSD and our infrastructure — even if it happens after those of us on this dais are not here — because our residents will feel the lasting effects. That is what is most important — improving the quality of life for all of our residents in Cincinnati."
City financial support
Financial support is available to Cincinnati residents and business owners affected by flooding.
Mayor Pureval directed the city to prepare a $1 million fund for business owners; the source is previously-allocated funds earmarked for small business support, and does not require City Council approval.
Council is set to vote Wednesday on an additional $1 million to support residents. Both sources will be managed through MSD, meaning residents who already reported flooding or a sewer backup to MSD do not have to apply for aid separately.
Last week, the city activated a hotline for people who haven't yet made contact with MSD. The hotline is open 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Assistant City Manager Cathy Bailey says as of Monday night, the city has gotten 67 calls to the hotline.
Watch the full Climate, City Services and Infrastructure Committee below, including public comment and the city's presentation (article continues after):
Madison Rd. flood gate update
Officials say a flood gate on Madison Road in Oakley that malfunctioned on July 17 is now operating automatically again.
Greater Cincinnati Water Works Deputy Director Jason Fleming says the gate was always able to close when manually triggered. The sensor system that should trigger an automatic closure when the Duck Creek below reaches a certain level malfunctioned during last month's storm.
Fleming says that sensor system is now fixed.
"We have returned the gate to its normal operating mode in automatic; we expect it to operate that way," he said. "We've tested it multiple times. We will be testing it three times per week moving forward, along with a complete closure of the gate once every two weeks."
Despite successful tests, Fleming says the city is sending staff to the gate in-person during rain events so that they can manually close the gate if the automatic system fails again.
"We'll continue that until we have improved our level of confidence with the gate that that's no longer required," he said.
Sewer backups update
MSD received nearly 2,000 reports of water intrusion; of those, about 1,200 have been officially deemed a sewer backup. That means the intense rainfall overwhelmed the combined sewer system and pushed a mix of raw human waste and stormwater runoff back up the pipes into basements through toilets and floor drains.
In those cases, MSD is responsible for helping the property owner clean up and replace damaged property.
Other water intrusion was likely caused by overland flooding rather than a sewer backup; in those cases, MSD is not liable for cleanup or damages.
Want to learn more about Cincinnati's complicated sewer system?
Check out WVXU's podcast Backed Up to learn more about the history and challenges of Cincinnati's combined sewer system.
In recent severe rainstorms and for the past several decades, sewage has bubbled up in local basements and poured into area waterways. Climate change is making it worse, and the powers that be can't seem to agree on how to fix it.
Backed Up demystifies one of the most complex systems of public infrastructure — our sewers — and tells the stories of the people suffering under decades of mismanagement.
You can listen at wvxu.org/backedup or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.
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