(Spencer, IA) -- Communities in northwest Iowa are still recovering after flooding last summer. Leaders from the Clay County town of Spencer spoke in a meeting of the Iowa House of Representatives on Tuesday.

Kevin Robinson is the city manager.

"I would not consider this a flood," Robinson says. "Just my amateur definition: this is a disaster. We've been through floods in our town...this was all hands on deck. Scramble."

He laid out the effects of the event.

"We have $12 to 15 million dollars of damage in public property," Robinson says. "So anything from tennis courts to bike trail to our wastewater treatment plant."

He says the damage to the treatment plant has also thrown a wrench in some individual families recovery. Insurance companies have called off claims because of it.

"One company would say 'yes, you have sewer backup so you're covered,'" Robinson says. "The next company would say 'you have sewer backup but we believe the flood caused that backup because your wastewater treatment plant went offline by your city. Therefore, it was not localized to your residence and we are not paying your claim."

Robinson says residents have been frustrated by insurance companies' inconsistency. He spoke on things learned through the flooding, including a needed update to the warning system.

"[Spencer] will be the first community specific in Iowa that has a flood warning system tied to it from the Iowa Flood Center data," Robinson says. "Throughout the state, the Iowa Flood Center has data points but you go to their website...it's not directly integrated into a community."

So, they're doing that with an app.

Robinson also spoke with legislators on how they can help river-based communities with infrastructure for prevention going forward.

Simon Conway