Columbia residents express concerns about aging storm and sewer systems

Columbia residents expressed their concerns about Columbia’s aging storm and sewer systems to city leaders Wednesday night.

Wednesday night was the first of three focus groups that the city is holding. The City of Columbia is developing a plan to meet critical infrastructure needs to improve the community’s waterways.

The goal is to create affordable long- term recommendations that meet Columbia’s wastewater and stormwater needs.

705 miles of sanitary sewer pipes run through Columbia, and leaders say to repair those pipes, it will cost 100 million dollars, but if those pipes don’t get fixed in 20 years it could cost 175 million to repair.

City leaders say 90 percent of stormwater pipes have never been checked for a current condition because of the lack of funds and resources.

With some Columbia infrastructure as old as thirty years residents say tonight’s forum was a step in the right direction.

John Clark, a Columbia resident since the 1980’s told ABC 17 News, “it’s a very good start for this interaction, between outside consultants city staff and citizens.”

Residents addressed three areas of improvement with the highest concern being, replacing aging systems, reducing sewage backups, and sustaining infrastructure for future generations.

The Columbia Integrated Management Plan is targeted towards discussing; improvement in water quality watersheds, protecting public health and public safety, reducing property damage due to sewage backups into buildings and flooding, address aging storm and sewer systems, and to develop sustainable and affordable infrastructure for future generations.