$1 million to go toward Falcon Highlands drainage issues
EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) - On Wednesday, the El Paso County Board of County Commissioners announced the approval of an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) with the Falcon Highlands Metropolitan District to address long-standing groundwater issues impacting the Falcon Highlands community.
The county says the IGA recognizes a $1 million allocation of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to repair or replace the subdivision's underdrain system as needed.
Falcon Highlands, a residential subdivision in unincorporated El Paso County, relies on an underground drainage system to manage high groundwater levels. The system collects groundwater from sump pumps on individual lots and channels it through a central underdrain system, which runs beneath County roads and directs the water to a discharge point.
In 2023, El Paso County and the District were made aware of possible blockages in the underdrain system, resulting in an impact on residents’ homes and excessive water discharge onto County roadways, raising significant concerns among residents.
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Under the new agreement, the Falcon Highlands Metropolitan District will take responsibility for maintaining, repairing, and replacing the underdrain system in Falcon Highlands.
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When speaking with KRDO13 the county did note that the ARPA funds will not last forever.
"What I can tell you is that our ARPA dollars do have an expiration date. And so we are expecting that, to be fall of next year," explained Commissioner Carrie Geitner.
Commissioner Geitner also shared a message to the residents in the area.
"Thank you for your patience. And I just want them to know we hear the concerns of residents. One of the things that I said to staff is it may not be our legal responsibility, but most people don't care whose legal responsibility or whose jurisdiction. They want to see action, and they want to see their problem solved. That's the attitude that we've tried to take from the county in saying, hey, maybe this is not our legal responsibility. At the same point, we want to do everything that we can to solve the problem, for our residents when they bring them to us," said Commissioner Geitner.
The full agreement can be read here.
