City to work on storm water plans

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - It doesn't take much rain to flood streets throughout the City of Mobile. City officials said an afternoon storm can do the trick.

Casi Callaway, Director of Mobile Baykeepers said the problem is that the city has not been monitoring it’s storm drains properly.

“We absolutely have to have a plan that defines storm water management for the city of Mobile. I’m kind of appalled that there is no plan and there hasn't been a plan,” said Callaway.

City council members met Wednesday at Government Plaza to try and change that.

The council voted to extend the contract to “Mobile Group,” which has been doing the job for years, to come up with some new ideas.

“They are going to come up with a comprehensive plan because ADEM has fined the city for not meeting certain storm water-- clear clean water act permitting,” said city councilwoman Bess Rich.

The Alabama Department of Environmental Management fined the city nearly $18,000, citing storm drain violations.

Callaway said the drains back up, and the runoff ends up in the watersheds and rivers. One of those rivers is the already troubled Dog River.

“The issues are connected, in all honesty, because trash in Dog River comes from the storm water system. It all flows into that system and it all runs into our rivers and our streams,” said Callaway.

The city said Mobile is only one of the contributors to the pollution of Dog River.

City officials said the trash and storm water also come from Mobile County and the state of Alabama.

In the end, it all goes to Mobile Bay, and then the Gulf of Mexico.

Executive Director of Public Services John Bell said they have been doing their job, but needed more funding for this drainage project.

“I pointed out on an annual basis the need for appropriate funding to pursue the program. The decisions of the council did not agree with the requests as submitted by the administration,” Bell said.

Bell went on to say the city has not had the budget for this project for at least two years.

ADEM has given the city until April to prove it has a plan in place to correct the problem.