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CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - Two flood drainage projects are one step closer to the finish line for historically flooded areas in West Ashley.

The City of Charleston is accepting $2 million toward two West Ashley stormwater management projects.

The state funding will pay $1 million each into the budgets of construction projects for the DuPont Wappoo Drainage Improvement Project and the Windermere Drainage and Outfall Improvement Project.

Officials say the problem for both communities is historically flooded areas because of undersized drainage pipes.

The Windermere project covers over 130 acres of studied areas in Windermere East and South Windermere. The area covers the Old Windermere neighborhood, Folly Road and near Highway 17.

The $1 million in state funding will help add a new drainage outfall through the back of the St. Andrew’s School of Math and Science along Chadwick Drive. Officials say the Windermere area has a 24-inch diameter pipe carrying all the stormwater. The addition of four 48-inch diameter pipes will better carry all the water out of the neighborhood and into the marsh system.

The Director of Stormwater Management, Matt Fountain, says the improvements will greatly reduce flooding for residents.

He says the typical flooding that happens after up to three-inch afternoon rainstorms will be no more. He says the occasional extreme tides may still produce flooding in the area, but it will drain quickly thanks to the new pipe system.

Another $1 million is going toward the Dupont-Wappoo construction project budget. This project covers about 1,700 acres of land, including neighborhoods around Citadel Mall.

Officials say the long drainage system currently sees a lot of constriction because of the high rate of development in the area.

City and County officials are designing phased improvement plans for larger drainage pipes. The state funding helps to begin the final design of the first phase. This phase covers the neighborhoods surrounding East Orleans Road that connect to the mall. This phase includes finalizing permitting and construction next year.

“You’ll see a regional improvement within that basin, like part of the stormwater basin for Dupont-Wappoo will get improved from the first project,” Fountain says. “Then we’ll keep adding more improvement areas in as we keep building those subsequent phases.”

Fountain says correcting the issues for Dupont-Wappoo residents is a huge priority for the city, as residents, roads and buildings see major flooding. He says it is a complex fix for this large basin.

Fountain says both projects will take some time to fit the new pipes with the area’s high development.

“You’re trying to figure out ways to do the improvements without too many negative impacts to adjacent property owners or finding that real estate to be able to acquire,” Fountain says. “Even on Windermere here, we’re having to acquire right of drain appeasement from some of the residential properties to bury some of the pipes like at the front of the yard right at the front of the road.”

Fountain says officials planned community meetings in the past to discuss the projects. He says public meetings will continue to share final designs with the community.

City council members are expected to approve the grant funds in Tuesday’s meeting at 5 p.m.

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