Drainage projects proceed as storms arrive in Borderland
Dozens of El Paso Water Utilities crews are preparing for the forecasted rains.
“Some of them are actually removing water from the streets with our big trucks. The others are out there just making sure the drain inlets are free. If you have a drain inlet, and you have it full of garbage, full of debris, it’s not going to work and so our crews are out there making sure that they are ready for this next bout of rain, which we know is coming,” said Martin Bartlett, a spokesman for the Utilities.
EPWU has also been in the process of completing 16 crucial projects identified by El Paso residents to prevent severe flooding similar to that of Storm 2006, when the city experienced several feet of rain and major damage to structures, homes, and streets.
“Components work together. You have a truly operational stormwater system,” said Bartlett.
The latest completed project involved raising the Van Buren dam, located off of Piedras and Monroe in Central El Paso.
“That’s important of course for the water that goes downstream. Dowmstream of here is the Saipan Ledo area, the spaghetti bowl. This project here helps mitigate the flooding downstream as well as to the surrounding area.”
While dams and retention ponds capture storm water, Bartlett said some streets are bound to flood.
“Many of the streets in the city of El Paso were actually designed to carry water. Not only are they streets; they were also designed, years ago, as part of the stormwater infrastructure, so there are going to be streets that have water moving in them when we have a major water event like we did last night.”
Related Link:
