Something’s Happening Here: Reevaluating Basement Backup Protection During This Age of Climate Change

The increased incidence of intense storm events as a result of climate change has the potential to significantly increase the number and the severity of basement backups. A vulnerability analysis of combined or separate sanitary sewer systems subject to basement backups can guide the development of cost-effective basement backup solutions. Protecting homes from basement backups under severe storm events will likely require a greater emphasis on private property backup solutions, in addition to conventional infiltration/inflow reduction, wet-weather storage, green infrastructure, and conveyance capacity solutions.