GREEN BAY (WLUK) — The Green Bay area is continuing to deal with flooding after back-to-back storms this week.
Streets quickly became inundated with water and slowly drained Tuesday night. It was no different at the corner of Webster Avenue and Klaus Street — a road reconstructed in recent years. This has some Facebook users questioning the effectiveness of the city’s storm sewer system.
NEW Water sees over 5 times its normal flow as flooding overwhelms sewer, sanitary systems (WLUK)
Green Bay Public Works Director Valerie Joosten said everything is working properly, but the shear amount of rain that has fallen simply backs everything up.
“When you have a big event like what we’re experiencing, you may not necessarily be able to have everything drain immediately. It sometimes takes time for everything to work its way through the system,” Joosten said.
Much of Webster Avenue was reconstructed in recent years, including the storm drainage system. It has large sewers underground and a swale was added to the median to help improve flood issues. Joosten said the age of the roads doesn’t necessarily matter in this case, but with this much rain, patience is important as pump stations work nonstop.
“We’re certainly experiencing a lot of water. The ground is wet. We just had our snow melt. So, it’s just a combination of many things,” Joosten said.
NEW Water, the brand of the Green Bay Metropolitan Sewerage District, has received more than five times the amount of water than it typically works with. This is because so much storm water has been entering the sanitary sewers — not only through the ground, but from homes, too.
The Green Bay area continues to deal with flooding, especially after back to back storms. Streets quickly became inundated with water and slowly drained Tuesday night. April 15, 2026 (WLUK/David Duchan).
“Some people may have their sump pump going to a mop sink or to a floor drain, and that then gets to the sanitary sewer system and puts a burden on that sanitary sewer system,” NEW Water Executive Director Nathan Qualls said.
Qualls said NEW Water’s treatment plant is not designed for that amount of water, putting a strain on its system. He said instead, folks should discharge sump pump water to the ground or down an outdoor storm drain. Otherwise, the sanitary sewer system could create problems inside your home.
“Their basement may back up because that sanitary sewer has just too much flow entering it,” Qualls said.
NEW Water plans to keep monitoring the wastewater process closely as more rain comes through the area. Green Bay Public Works reminds residents to help keep storm drains clear of debris to prevent flooding.