SAN ANGELO, Texas — While many say the Concho Valley is in need of more rain because of hot temperatures, questions arise on whether San Angelo has a proper drainage system in place after heavy downpours.
Before 2010, there was no regulation for development to drain water. Since then the City of San Angelo's Storm Water and Operations team has been working diligently to correct this ongoing issue.
“After 2010, we had to accommodate for storm water and drainage issues that happened on many streets in the city. We are currently in the development process of slowly but surely resolving these issues on countless streets. If you call complaining about flooding on a street, we most likely already know about it,” San Angelo Assistant Operations Director Patrick Fredrich said.
The department cleans out the drains and make sure there is nothing obstructing those inlet structures so the water can clear out after rain.
The City is also in the process of developing a master drainage plan. The goal is to identify the main drainage problem areas, find the solution for those areas and find out what the cost may be.
Will this plan cost taxpayers more money? Fredrich says it will not.
“Right now there isn’t a proper funding mechanism for draining repairs but this will be a grant based project and won’t cost residents money. Some work dealing with drainage that we have taken care of have been incorporated with street projects like Bell street and specific money was set aside for that.” Fredrich said.
Littering is also a negative effect on proper drainage in San Angelo. Officials say Lake Nasworthy had more than 20 tons of trash impacted in the drainage in 2020, causing more troubles to the already difficult draining systems.
A lot of our drinking water comes from rivers in the city. From street sweepings to gutter cleanouts, all of that affects the quality of drinking water for residents.
When there is less trash in the drainage system, it helps. Picking up trash if you see it, or avoiding littering, helps City workers alleviate more obstacles.
It is also encouraged for drivers to take a detour if they encounter high waters. This is to protect the car and people who might be in the vehicle as well.
