For too many residents and businesses in Elm Grovea, heavy rainfall no longer means simply worrying about a trickle of water seeping into the basement. Instead, it now means grabbing the sand bags to divert water rushing down the hill away from your home or business in the hopes your basement will be spared from flooding. It means watching the water rise as the city’s storm sewer system is overwhelmed.

Yes, the rainfall we had Monday was intense, and it lasted most of the day. But should it have led to vehicles being trapped in the late afternoon as Kruger Street flooded? Should it have forced businesses in the Elm Terrace Shopping Center to close early as water flowed under the doors?

Simply put … no.

Unfortunately, these situations have become all too common in recent years. And no one in an official capacity seems to have the fix.

City, state and federal officials 1must acknowledge that recurring flooding in the Elm Grove area points to larger infrastructure issues that demand serious attention.

The city should begin with a comprehensive review of storm sewer capacity and drainage design throughout Elm Grove, Elm Terrace and along the Kruger Street corridor. Many of these systems were built generations ago, long before modern development patterns and today’s increasingly intense rainfall events. What may have been adequate infrastructure in the 1950s or 1960s may no longer be sufficient in 2026.

Perhaps the large rate increase Wheeling just placed on its residents could be of assistance in funding such a study.

Residents deserve answers. Are storm sewers undersized? Are culverts and drainage channels functioning as intended? Has development altered natural water flow patterns? Are drains being cleaned out regularly? Are there improvements that could reduce the speed and volume of runoff?

These are questions that require engineering studies, data and long-term planning–not guesswork.

At the same time, local efforts alone will not solve the problem.

The condition of Wheeling Creek must be part of the conversation. Residents and local officials have raised concerns for years about trash and sediment buildup in the creek.

That is why the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection need to work with local governments to develop a realistic dredging and creek-management strategy. Environmental regulations, permitting requirements and funding challenges are real. But those challenges cannot become excuses for inaction.

The longer the issue is ignored, the greater the cost becomes for homeowners. Every flooded basement leads to damaged property, lost memories, insurance claims and financial stress. Every flooded street creates safety concerns and undermines confidence in the neighborhood’s future.

Wheeling has made significant investments in infrastructure over the years, and city leaders deserve credit for addressing many long-standing challenges. But the flooding concerns in Elm Grove have reached a point where a broader strategy is needed.

The next major rainstorm should not be the event that finally forces action. Get it started. Now.