Summer storms delaying millions of dollars in repairs needed to stormwater infrastructure

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - Stormwater infrastructure within the City of Colorado Springs has experienced a historic amount of rainfall in the months of May and June, and its because of the constant threat of storms that repairs have been slow to be made.

One drainage channel off of Centennial Avenue along the Sinton Trail had damages first reported by neighbors in the last week of May. Crews from the city's Stormwater Department were seen Monday, July 10 working to remove the damaged concrete from the channel wall, to make way for repairs.

"This is a good example of one that we had on the list. We're about to get to it and the whole deck came out and so we came out to work on that, had a little rain, got delayed again, and now we've lost one of the embankments," says Richard Mulledy, the City of Colorado Springs Stormwater Enterprise Manager.

He explains that due to the historic downpour of rain over the last two months, it's made repairs to the affected stormwater infrastructure almost impossible.

"It's been hard to get into these channels. So you can't work in the channels when it's raining, you know, I mean, just can't have equipment down there," said Mulledy. "I mean, these channels are, you know, pretty violent and they run pretty quick. And so what we've been doing is identifying those on a list of priority and we're trying to get to them."

He estimates that the project along the Sinton Trail will cost a few hundred thousand dollars, but that damages across the city could be as high as $15 million. Mulledy reiterates that due to the residents of the city agreeing to pay to help fund the Stormwater Enterprise, they will have the funds to make the repairs.