Drainage improvements to help with Lubbock flooding

LUBBOCK, TX (KCBD) - The City of Lubbock has dealt with different kinds of flooding problems over the years, but now a new drainage system is promising some big improvements.

The Northwest Lubbock Drainage System aims to reduce flooding by providing a new place for overflow water to go. The experts say since the playa lakes don't have natural underwater drainage, the city had to build some.

Stretching from Quaker Avenue to Maxey Park, this new drainage system will allow excess water from the lakes to empty off the Caprock miles away.

"Especially if you've been around here you've realized Maxey Park had major flooding issues...had to alleviate just by the sun and drying out. Now it's going to alleviate over time just by coming through our pipe," says John Turpin, Chief Water Utilities Engineer for the City of Lubbock.

Just recently finished, Phase 2 of the Northwest Lubbock Drainage System cost the city over $25 million. City officials say all the money came from the storm water rate that residents are charged.

"There will be no more storm water rate hikes at this point, there are no plans to do that, so they're just going to stay where they are now and the city council in the future can decide what will happen with that."

Phase III of the project has just gotten underway. It aims to include the heart hospital, Higginbotham, and the lake at Loop 289 and 4th Street.

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