By Martine Wolfe-Miller, Communications Officer
MOUNT PLEASANT, SC (Dec. 4, 2015) – Phase 1 of several important stormwater capital projects are nearing completion, with phase 2 starting in January 2016. The Town’s Capital Improvement Plan is a guide for the maintenance and acquisition of capital assets. It is an important management tool because it helps evaluate the effects of large capital costs on the Town’s operating budget and financial standing in terms of debt burden and capacity. The CIP includes a wide array of projects. Some are more visible than others, but all are important - particularly stormwater improvements.
Stormwater improvement projects currently in motion include Baytree, Whipple Road, Wakendaw and Hickory Shadows. “We will soon have lined 10,000 feet of pipe, which is about 2 miles. We have inspected and cleaned over 21,000 feet of pipe, which is over four miles of our 150-mile stormwater pipe network,” said Emily Raby, Mount Pleasant Stormwater Division Staff Engineer.
“While four out of 150 miles may seem like a drop in the bucket, remember that a lot of the stormwater system is less than 20 years old and therefore quite recent when you consider that a concrete pipe is expected to last for 100 years,” she added.
Raby explained that some of the older portions of the Town’s stormwater network consist of metal pipe, which rusts and corrodes over time, and is expected to last closer to 50 years.
“For these first capital improvement stormwater projects, we targeted areas where pipes were expected to near the end of their useful life. Overall, to rehabilitate four miles is pretty amazing in one year,” said Raby.
“The investment the taxpayers have made by funding stormwater infrastructure greatly paid off during the recent historic flood,” said Mount Pleasant Mayor Linda Page. “However, we must remain vigilant and maintain the integrity of our stormwater system with proper planning and engineering efforts, robust inspections of old and new infrastructure, daily maintenance of the stormwater system and infrastructure improvement projects.”
“The importance of regular cleaning of drains and pipes reduces property damage and allows the system to flow at full capacity,” said Mount Pleasant Public Services Director Jody Peele. “Stormwater is a cyclical activity. After cleaning 25 miles of ditches, the process begins all over again. It is an investment over time, not something you can start right before a storm and expect it to work.”
Peele credited stormwater capital improvement projects with successfully mitigating the recent historic flood. He stated that pipe and flap gate rehabilitation, both CIP programs, have greatly enhanced the flow capacity of the stormwater system.
Current Capital Improvement Projects:
• Alhambra Hall Renovations
• Shem Creek Park Phase 2
• Coleman Boulevard Revitalization
• Carolina Park Recreation Complex
• Rifle Range Recreation Complex Master Plan
• Farmers Market Pavilion Bathroom
• New Town Hall and Double Gym
• Utility Undergrounding on Mathis Ferry Road
• Bike & Pedestrian Facility Improvements
• City Works - Asset Management and Work Order Database
• City Works - Planning and Licensing
• Master Plan Memorial Waterfront Park, Phase II
• Stormwater Projects (NPDES Water Quality Testing, Canal Engineering, Baytree Project, Whipple Road, Wakendaw, and Hickory Shadows, Pitt Street)
• Long Point Road /I-526 Westbound On-ramp
• Pavement Preservation Projects\
• Billy Swails Boulevard (Final Phase)
• Transportation Program Development
• Park West and Bessemer Round About
For more information about the Capital Improvement Plan, visit us online at www.tompsc.com. To view videos of CIP projects, visit our Media Center at http://www.tompsc.com/MediaCenter.aspx. To stay connected with your government and informed of latest news, traffic alerts and project updates, sign up with our Notify Me module at http://www.tompsc.com/list.aspx