Meeting a federal mandate doesn’t mean an end to storm water projects in Lexington

WEKU | By Stu Johnson

Meeting the federal requirement for making stormwater sewer improvements in Lexington doesn’t lessen the need for additional projects. The City of Lexington met the consent decree order in 2021. Mark Sanders in the Division of Water Quality offered a stormwater drainage and flooding program update to Council members this week. Sanders said the priority list covers nuisance flooding as well as street flooding, which can include structural damage.

“And that’s the priority list…there’s a hundred or so locations around ..town that we’re kind of slowly working our way through just because of the cost to do those is so substantial..they don’t move as quick,” said Sanders.

Sanders said stormwater improvement projects can range in price from $100,000 up to three to four million dollars.

While the City has completed requirements in the stormwater category, that doesn’t mean there aren’t still future needs. And one issue outside of new piping is dealing with blockages.

“Lot of times we don’t know what the issue is until the contractor goes out. It could be trash that will be in there, could be a basketball that gets blocked, could be a cooler, could be trees or twigs that get blocked. So, it’s just random things,” said Sanders.

During his presentation, Sanders told Council committee members Lexington has some 750 miles of storm line.

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Photo by Stu Johnson for WEKU.

Republished with permission.