Water pump installation underway at Jobs Pond as part of flood relief effort

“It’s just one of those things that just sucks the life out of you,” Ellen Mantel, of Portland, said.

For over sixth months, rising water levels at Portland’s Jobs Pond have led to flooded basements and busy water pumps for residents like Mantel.

“It’s just been one challenge after another. The water rising was just terrifying,” Mantel said.

“Some of us still have about three, four feet of water in,” Veronica Ketch, of Portland, said.

On Monday, local and state leaders met at nearby Camp Ingersoll, where multiple water pumps are being installed as part of a relief project costing over half a million dollars.

“75% of the funding for this project is covered by federal funding, the NRCS, as well as 25% is covered by the state through DEEP,” Portland First Selectman Ryan Curley said. “There’s going to be one pump running at all times, 24 hours a day, seven days a week for approximately about a month.”

He said the pumps will take water from the pond through miles of piping and empty into the Connecticut River.

“The pumping is just the first stage. The next chapter is the cleanup and that’s what we’ve been trying to focus on,” Mantel said.

Going forward, Mantel continues to emphasize the need for a long-term solution that could help prevent the pond from excessive flooding in the first place.

“We still have a lot more to do. There’s a long-term solution that we’re hoping they will not forget about,” Mantel said.

Curley said he’s already made preliminary contact with the federal agencies who say funds are available at least for an exploratory phase of a long-term solution.