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Council hears stormwater concerns — barnacle‑clogged outfalls, $1.6M cleaning and $6.5M pushed into next year for multi‑basin work
Summary
Public works staff told council of barnacle infestations and sediment in critical outfalls that can reduce drainage capacity; the proposed budget includes $1.6 million for citywide stormwater cleaning and staff recommended moving $6.5 million forward for multi‑basin implementation work.
Council and staff spent a sustained portion of the budget workshop on stormwater maintenance and resilience after public and council members highlighted frequent flooding and clogged outfalls.
Ben Copeland, Public Works, told the council that the department is responsible for five funds and proposed an $88,000,000 request across those funds; for the stormwater fund next year he described a total expense plan approaching $14.7 million, with $7.8 million in capital funding included in the draft.
Copeland said the proposed stormwater CIP includes a citywide dedicated stormwater improvements line currently budgeted at $1.6 million in 2025–26 to increase televising and cleaning of outfall pipes and address maintenance backlogs. "We did increase the budget for next year by almost half a million dollars to address televising and cleaning of stormwater outfall pipes," Copeland said during his presentation, later estimating that 60–70% of that budget would likely go to inspection and cleaning operations rather than lining.
Council members and staff described visual evidence of heavy marine growth in some outfall pipes. Council member Peneman showed a photo of the inside of an outfall pipe fouled with crustaceans and asked how quickly the infestation returns after cleaning. Public Works staff replied that recolonization can be rapid — potentially within weeks or months depending on conditions — and that concrete pipe surfaces provide better attachment points for barnacles than smoother lined materials.
Public Works also described the multi‑basin implementation project that will address priority flood‑risk basins across the city. Copeland said that, after the implementation plan was completed, staff recommended moving forward $6.5 million into next year for design and early implementation work for the multi‑basin improvements rather than leaving that funding later in the roll‑forward years. "We are recommending to move that forward for a total of 6.5 for next year," Copeland said, adding that while the full amount may not be expensed in year one, funds must be appropriated to encumber early contracts and procurement.
Council and staff emphasized the need for a continuing “drumbeat” of funding and planning for resiliency. Staff said earlier and recurring failures in outfalls have required both internal crews and outside contracting — the city operates vac trucks but expects to retain contractors to catch up on the backlog while refilling staff vacancies.
Council asked for more granular tracking of problem pipes, cleaning frequency and relative cost, and public works said it would return with a pavement/street and stormwater implementation timeline and the finalized list of streets and outfalls to be addressed in the coming months.
