SAN ANTONIO — Neighbors in Eastwood Village say they have a flooding problem.
The community says issues with flooding are an ongoing concern because every time it rains, from a major downpour to a fast-moving storm, the streets in their neighborhood flood, and massive amounts of debris clog the drains. Neighbors are then forced to clean up the trash and debris left behind when the water recedes.
Ruben Guerrero is a past president of the Neighborhood Association and said he’s been trying to demand action for years.
“It’s a 50-year-old problem,” said Guerrero. “The developer put in the minimum amount of drainage in this area, so every time it rains real heavy, we have a flooding issue.”
He said he worked with city council, and the city bond committee and recently $6.9 million was granted to provide flood control, and some relief for neighbors. However, nothing has happened yet.
“We're just waiting to see if maybe this project could be expedited and put on the first list,” said Guerrero.
Last week, rain brought more flooding to the intersection of Upland and Jarbet. Trash bins floated down the street and collected at the drain, dumping trash from the bins and other debris that clogged the drain.
“Now our street is all full of garbage and it's up to us to pick it up,” said frustrated neighbor Fatima Guerrero.
She and another neighbor were trying to decide how to move all the bins blocking the drain when a group of Good Samaritans stopped to help. “Miss Ginger had gone over there by herself and started to pull some of those trashcans, but they were too heavy for her, so she had to stop,” she said. “I was coming out here to help her, but thank God for those men.”
Ruben Guerrero said the drain at the intersection of Upland and Jarbet continues to be an issue that needs to be addressed.
“This particular drain gathers all the water from the majority of the neighborhood,” he said. “So, all that water coming down the street and particulates that gather in to that grate, which is too small for the water flow, it just clogs up the drain. And it has nowhere to go but up.”
Guerrero said he’s asked the city to expedite the flood control plans. “They haven't actually done any part of the digging up of the street or any placing of any kind of drains so we're waiting on that,” he said.
Guerrero said he plans to contact the newly-elected District 2 City Councilwoman, Jada Andrews-Sullivan, and ask for help.
“We're still dealing with the issue of flooding and the neighbors are still having to adjust to all of that,” he said.
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