The City of Columbus prepares to fix flooding in the area

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – The recent rains are reminding leaders in Columbus about one of the city’s biggest public works headaches.

It’s raining. it’s pouring it’s flooding.

In many areas of Columbus, when the rains come down, the water in yards and streets comes up.

Kevin Stafford, of Neil Schaffer, says heavy rains continue to expose flooding problems in the city.

“Here recently we’ve had a lot of flash flooding issues that have caused localized flooding that backwash into these businesses or a lack of maintenance or simple leaves and twigs and things like that that get caught up and cause flooding,” said Stafford.

The City of Columbus has decided to use three million dollars of its share of ARPA money to address flooding around town.

However, three million dollars is only a drop in the bucket when it comes to the projected price tag on the city’s drainage issues.

“It’s well over 100 million dollars that drainage needs throughout the city and you know having five million or even three million dollars in leverage is a big issue,” said Stafford.

Mayor Keith Gaskin says that he is working hard with the county and the state to match the city’s money and stretch those funds.

“The money that we are working with and are trying to get matched won’t cure everything in the flooding area. However, it will give us a good start and we can focus on some of the areas in the city that are the worst areas,” said Gaskin.

Gaskin says that he and the council are doing what they can, but it is also important that the community does its part.

“Some of the flooding areas that we have in this city can be alleviated by better use of cleaning out ditches and other areas like that in the city,” said Gaskin.

A big vision for a better community.

Gaskin says that having streets cleaned of leaves and branches twice a year is in his future plans.