Man’s basement floods three times in three days

By Emily Pofahl

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    MENOMONEE FALLS, Wisconsin (WISN) — The Menomonee River overflowed its banks near Grand Avenue and Woodlawn Drive in Menomonee Falls, leaving entire neighborhoods underwater and causing significant damage to homes for residents.

Zachary Haefner’s basement has flooded three times in three days.

“I’m screwed. That’s that’s that’s literally what was going through my head,” Haefner said.

Haefner’s basement flooded for the first time ever on Sunday after a round of heavy storms blew through Southeast Wisconsin.

“I had no idea what to do, to be honest with you. I didn’t know if I should evacuate. I didn’t know if I should sit. I mean, we sat there with little containers, dumping it in five-gallon buckets too, and I just, I had no idea what to do,” Haefner said.

By Sunday night, Haefner thought the situation was improving.

“We had gotten everything dry down there. We had ripped up all the carpet,” he said.

However, the water returned quickly on Monday, and again on Tuesday after more heavy rains.

“It was really today that it got waist high,” he said.

Without flood insurance, Haefner is facing $15,000 to $20,000 in damages.

“It’s just over and over and over. The last three days have been terrible,” he said.

The Falls and nearby Germantown are dealing with the overflowing Menomonee River. It crested at 10:57 a.m. and is beginning to recede.

“With the amount of rain we received, it’s all finding its way into that main water resource, and until the lands drain off, it’s going to continue to be at that height,” said Germantown Fire Chief John Delain.

Some families on Haefner’s block evacuated their homes due to floodwaters reaching their first floor or blocking them in. Despite the flooding, everyone in the area still has power.

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