CONWAY, SC (WBTW) – City officials in Conway are saying that recent drainage improvements have prevented flash flooding in the Chicora neighborhood.
City of Conway Public Works Director Kevin Chestnut says in the past, in the Chicora Subdivision, significant rainfall would lead to flash flooding in the streets and in the yards of many homeowners.
“The aging infrastructure in this development caused some flash flooding problems in the past, and with the improvements that were made, we’ve seen a big improvement on the drainage side as to how we handle rain events,” said Chestnut.
The City of Conway completed construction on the Chicora Subdivision Drainage Improvement Project in May of this year. Chestnut says when the City started the work, it also saw unexpected changes in the area.
“Once we started construction with this project, we also saw people move back into the area, and it seems to have sparked some revitalization of that neighborhood. People there in the neighborhood seem to be investing in themselves because they’ve seen that the City has invested in them,” said Chestnut.
The Chicora Drainage Improvement Project was made possible by a grant from the South Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority (RIA). The grant was the first grant the City of Conway has received from RIA, an agency funded with state funds appropriated by the South Carolina Legislature.
“RIA was pleased to assist the City of Conway in upgrading the capacity of its stormwater drainage facilities to relieve flooding and standing water issues. Such infrastructure investments are vital to improving the quality of life for residents and preparing the community for greater resiliency in the future,” said South Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority Executive Director Bonnie Ammons.
The SC Rural Infrastructure Authority was established in 2012 to assist communities with financing for qualified infrastructure projects for water and wastewater systems as well as stormwater drainage facilities.
