Town project to improve drainage in Suffolk neighborhood set to begin in 2025

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A Team 12 investigation is getting answers for one Suffolk County community that has endured years of flooding caused by a poor drainage system. Nicole Lockwood and Michael Green are still in shock, weeks after storms flooded their Centereach home. “It’s heartbreaking... we just closed on the property two years ago this week,” said Lockwood. “This is what you work hard for and it’s just gone.” Team 12 Investigates uncovered decade-old complaints to Brookhaven Town officials regarding flooding on Park Street. There have been lawsuits against the town, claiming “persistent flooding over a period of several years due to poor drainage” resulted in damage to homeowners’ properties. News 12 previously covered flooding in the neighborhood in 2021. At the time, homeowners said the nearby sump was the cause of the flooding because it cannot handle heavy rains. Not only are homeowners fighting floods, but they are also fighting Town Hall for answers. Mike Krauth has lived on Park Street for around 30 years. He said he has filed complaints with the Town and received few details on potential solutions. “They wouldn’t give me the details,” said Krauth. “At the time, they said it’s a very big undertaking with engineering, but now it’s 2024.” Team 12 Investigates brought these concerns directly to Daniel Losquadro, the superintendent of the Brookhaven Highway Department. He said the town has acquired a piece of land at 25 Hammond Lane to build a new recharge basin. Losquadro said the town just closed on the property after the August storm using eminent domain, which is what he says delayed the project for several years. “We’re going to have to pipe this water down Smith, underneath Middle Country Road, into this new recharge basin so we’re taking this very seriously,” said Superintendent Losquadro. “This project will be completed next year.” It is finally a solution in sight, but homeowners like Lockwood worry that it won’t come in time for the next major storm. “Do we want to stay here? No. What’s our option, to raise the home? How are we paying for that?” asked Lockwood. "