MISSION — A plan to improve the city’s drainage system has taken shape and was presented to the city council during a workshop Monday.
The drainage improvement plan, estimated to cost about $24.5 million, was requested following the heavy rains of 2018 which flooded several areas throughout the city.
Ponciano Longoria of TEDSI Infrastructure Group delivered the presentation of the proposed plan to the city council and drainage committee.
The presentation noted proposed improvements would include upgrades to drainage ditches such as channel improvements, culvert replacements, and adding detention basins.
Plans also include system enlargements to the storm sewers.
Longoria presented maps of several drainage areas throughout the city, displaying the existing conditions of those areas followed by the proposed conditions.
Those areas include 21st & Stewart/Glasscock, the Astroland drainage area, the Basham drainage area, the Spikes drainage area, the Erma drainage area and the Sunset Lane drainage area.
To fund the project, Mayor Armando O’Caña said the city planned to apply for grants but would likely also use certificates of obligation.
Initially, funding for drainage was to be part of a bond election the city is expecting to hold in November or May 2021. However, the council agreed that drainage was too important to risk it being voted down.
“This is too serious for us to jeopardize that possibility,” O’Caña said.
The city intends to hold another workshop on Feb. 24, during which the engineers will answer questions from the public.
