Editor,
As our elected officials make plans for a seawall to protect low lying areas from rising tides, I hope they understand that a wall has two sides; it does not only keep water out, it keeps it in. As a result of constructing a wall at the Bay’s edge, they will need to rely on pumps to prevent flooding in the event of a spillover or heavy rainfall. Any number of things could cause failure of the pumping system and, therefore, flooding.
As it stands now, the property owners, who bought in a Bayfill area, are responsible for flood damage. If a wall is constructed, whoever builds it will likely be liable for any damage that occurs if it prevents natural drainage. I understand the desire to protect the homes that were unfortunately built too low for a worst case scenario, but a pump failure during a rainstorm could result in a bankrupt city.
Rather than fighting Mother Nature, it might make more sense to require future construction to withstand higher water, and incentivize property owners to take mitigation steps, such as raising their homes or at least having flood insurance.
Tim Donnelly
Burlingame
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