Southbury man raising home to bypass flooding - WFSB 3 Connecticut
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The Pomperaug River's flooding waters will be no match for one man's home.
The Southbury homeowner is raising his home eight feet in an attempt to bypass flooding.
It's no secret in Southbury that when it rains hard, the Pomperaug River rises and damages homes up and down the river banks. But one homeowner said it won't happen to him anymore.
"When it's not flooding, you can just see how beautiful it is to be here," said John Fleming. "See where it is now?" He asked, pointing to the river. "It comes up about 15 to 17 feet higher, right across the road."
He said he's raising his home to make sure it stays dry. Several other homeowners are trying to do the same thing using a federal grant, but the red tape is taking forever. That's how Fleming is using the money he was able to get from insurance and doing a lot of the work himself, including living in a camper.
"I'm not married with no children so I'm not displacing my whole family," he said. "You just make like you're camping and live through the weather."
Once Fleming's home is fully raised, he will have to gut the inside to get rid of mild and water damaged areas. Other homeowners along the river are waiting to be bought out. The town will then tear down the homes and won't allow anyone else to rebuild there. As for the next big storm, Fleming said he has a plan to deal with that.
"I'll be cooking cheeseburgers on the deck watching the water flow by," he said.
Fleming said he hopes to have the home completed by the upcoming winter.
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