Lansdale 'Discussing' Flooding Issues at Main Street Auto Parts Business

Carmen Iannelli sells auto parts out of his CarQuest/P.J. Auto Parts location at 820 W. Main St. in Lansdale, but perhaps he should begin selling boating products with the recent problem he is facing during every hard rain.
Iannelli came to the Public Works Committee last month to bring to the borough's attention of the flooding he faces inside his store.
"So far this year, I've been flooded four times," Iannelli said last month.  "I take on anywhere from eight to 16 inches of water, if we get rain that lasts longer than 15 minutes, like a hard steady rain."
Last week, Councilman Mike Sobel, a member of the public works committee, asked Utilities Director Jake Ziegler where the issue stands with Iannelli.
"We're discussing it," Ziegler said at last week's public works committee meeting. 
"That's a nasty situation," said Sobel. "Anything we can do to help would be great."
Last month, Iannelli claimed the water comes from behind his property from the site of Turbo Lofts and Walgreens, and the strip mall containing Starbucks and Machismo Burrito Bar.
"All the water comes from behind me," Iannelli said. "All the mud and water comes down the back of my property and I have drains, and they can't handle it because it will cover almost a whole tire on one of my vehicles."
Iannelli said the storm drain in front of his business on West Main Street cannot handle the amount of water coming from Valley Forge Road. He said the drain behind him on Derstine Avenue between Mitchell Avenue and Valley Forge Road cannot handle rainfall either. 
"The last two storms, the water was so severe, water backed up to the middle of Main Street," he said. "Cars eastbound had to go into the other lane to get through." 
Iannelli said the borough needs to add another storm drain or make the existing drains larger.
"I know it's a state road, but I've got to get something done," he said. "Help me out."
Iannelli said the water backs up through a drain he installed in the center of his store.
"It comes through the doors and the block wall," he said. "It leaks through it. Last year, I had taken in 18 inches of water front to back. I lost $25,000 of inventory. That's one of many times over the past four to five years I lost inventory."
Iannelli said he was dropped by his insurance company two years ago because of the flooding. 
"I had to raise everything up off the floor by 18 inches. I lost 18 inches of shelving space in the store, about 7,300 square feet," Iannelli said.  
Iannelli told the committee last month that the problem has increased over the last four years. He claimed the problem all started when Turbo Lofts and the Walgreens began construction.
"I'm here. I need help. I can't keep doing this every time it rains," he said. "When I come home, I don't know if I'm going to walk into a store full of water." 
Last month, a deliveryman informed Iannelli that a foot of water was gushing into a rear warehouse. 
"I can't live on not being there. If I'm down the shore or on vacation, I don't know what to expect," Iannelli said.  
Iannelli added that tile on his floors is buckling up and water and dirt has gotten under the wood floor in his office.  
"It is getting drastically worse as time goes on," Iannelli said. "I don't know if the drains are blocked because of Turbo now, but there's not enough drainage there. Hurricane Sandy put me over the top." 
Iannelli said he hired engineer Tim Woodrow to assess his situation. He said Woodrow told him to approach the public works committee first.
"He thinks there is an issue with what was done back there. He wanted to get your engineer out there," Iannelli said. "I've been a vendor here for over 18 years. I've never complained about one thing in person." 
Committee Chairman Steve Malagari said Iannelli is facing a serious issue.
"It's been happening for a while," Malagari said last month. "Thank you for coming out." 
Ziegler said he discussed the issue last month with borough engineer Chris Fazio, who, in turn, talked with Woodrow.
"We are basically aware of the situation. I can't say to him here's a solution, because we don't know what the solution is," Ziegler said in August. 
Councilman Jack Hansen wondered if there was an issue with the storm water drainage flow.   
"We have a business here in town that does not sell boats and has a water issue," Hansen said in August.