Dozens of Girard residents left Monday's city council meeting feeling hopeful about the efforts city officials are doing to combat flooding concerns along East Liberty Street and surrounding neighborhoods. 

Heavy rainfall causes flooding in several East Liberty Street homes, sometimes reaching several inches to up to 4 feet of sewage water to be left in basements. 

"We're slowly but surely rectifying it but, it's still a problem," explained Mayor Jim Melfi. 

"The problem has been going on for over 20 years," said Patrick Rubinic, resident of East Liberty Street. "I feel more hopeful in 2022 than I did in 1998 when it happened the first time. It's happened probably 9 to 11 times over the last 20 years."

Residents told 21 News the sewage flooding can sometimes get to the extent of used toilet paper appearing in their basements. They added once the flooding is cleaned up, the scent can lingers for several months. 

A consulting engineer explained to the crowd on Monday why these issues are happening and detailed preventative measures.

The city has cleaned up sanitary sewer lines along a portion of the affected street and cameras have been used to check the lines. The last time residents had issues with flooding from heavy rainfall was in early March of 2022. 

"We've installed retention ponds and now we are seeking an alternative method in which to send the storm water and sewage," Melfi added. 

"They've been addressing it more this time than any other time and we feel that as long as they're continuing to make those changes, that we're getting somewhere," Rubinic said. 

Mayor Melfi said he process of adding in solutions like detention and retention ponds take time and money but they are working to solve the issues for homeowners affected. 

"The sewer and storm lines are old so we have televised those lines and we're looking at them to see where the infiltration is," Melfi explained. "There is separation and there is going to be repairs to those lines. So, we're going to continue to make improvements."

"We really aren't going to stop until we have a reasonable answer to all of this," Melfi added.