Charleston County works on long-awaited drainage project in Phillips Community

MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (WCBD) – Charleston County is working to mitigate flooding in the Phillips Community as they began installing 48-inch downstream pipes Friday.

The long-awaited project is becoming a reality for the area’s homeowners, where flooding has often been an issue. After a decade later, canals are being dug out and pipes are getting put under road crossings in the Phillips Community.

“A few years ago, we had a bad storm in here and all – the whole roads were underwater. Water came in my garage, my neighbor down there got flooded out, this neighborhood got flooded out,” Richard Habersham, president and homeowner of Phillips Community, said. “We went to Charleston County, the ditches weren’t proper enough to handle the water because it was moving, but it wasn’t moving fast enough to take the water away.”

Charleston County Public Works were finally able to obtain the necessary funding and permits to make this drainage project possible. Now, they have cleared most of the utilities areas around properties.

“A big challenge for the project was actually the permitting takes a while to because the Army Corps and other agencies are involved because it’s a critical area where there’s the marsh grass and tidal influences,” John Prorock, stormwater management director of Charleston County, said. “With this mile drainage canal there’s also gaps where we’re allowed to access. So, we had to acquire easements.”

The new stormwater system is expected to direct water downstream into Horlbeck Creek as a natural resource, and the upstream portion will be in the county’s maintained canals.

“Since now, we get this ditch and the other one on Parkers Island Road it will help the water flow and take the water away from the land. It should be a whole lot drier,” Habersham said. “We can see the improvement from this and we really appreciate what Charleston County is doing.”

Charleston County is expected to begin road closures and detours on Bessemer Road starting on February 3.