Businesses in Old Town Alexandria prepare for flooding
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (DC News Now) — Businesses in Old Town Alexandria are getting ready for what could be a nasty storm on Tuesday in an area prone to flooding.
More than 500 sandbags were given out on Monday to prevent water from rushing into the front doors of businesses near the waterfront.
Businesses in Old Town are used to bad weather affecting business.
“Any kind of flooding or rain, we’ll always have [sandbags] on hand just ready to go just in case,” said Kate Brennan, general manager of O’Connell’s.
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The sandbags are ready to go for Tuesday’s storm – and ready for the Potomac to rise above its banks.
“We flood often. It’s Old Town. We’re near the river,” Brennan said.
Brennan is hoping for the best.
“We’ve seen it come up, you know, to the end of our block over the summer,” Brennan said. “So hopefully it’s not going to reach us. I know in the past of has once or twice come up as far as our doors.”
The City of Alexandria spent Monday passing out hundreds of sandbags and cleaning storm inlets.
“We had our leaf trucks out because it is leaf collection season with only two weeks left,” said Philip Pugh, deputy director of operations. “There aren’t a lot of leaves out there. But we do know that if debris is in the roadway, it’s going to wind up in the storm sewers.”
Pugh said when it floods, they can clean some debris but for the most part will have to wait for the water to recede.
“We bring our street sweepers out and staff and we get it cleaned up and ready for business,” Pugh said.
Brennan said whatever comes their way, O’Connell’s is prepared.
“If it’s three inches of rain, you know, well, we’ll deal with this. We have a good team here,” Brennan said. “So between us all, we’ll manage and we’ll make sure that all of our neighbors here are looked after as well and make sure they’re doing okay.”
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