By Sheila Mullane Estrada, Times Correspondent
Friday, November 26, 2010
TREASURE ISLAND — Armed with a matching grant from the Southwest Florida Water Management District, the city plans to implement a major stormwater and drainage project on Sunset Beach, the Isle of Capri and Isle of Palms.
The project is expected to cost $300,000. The $150,000 Swiftmud grant will be matched by city money already budgeted, said public works director Jim Murphy.
"This will go a long way to resolve water quality issues," Murphy said.
The city's deteriorating stormwater collection system is more than 50 years old and discharges high levels of pollutants into the Intracoastal Waterway.
The project is scheduled to begin in February and be completed by June 2012. It will improve the quality of stormwater discharge at 99th and 93rd avenues on Sunset Beach, on Sixth Street E on the Isle of Capri and on Sixth Street E on the Isle of Palms.
The city plans to build road curbs and curb inlets to control stormwater runoff and install technology to remove sediments and pollutants from the water before it is discharged into the bay.
With little discussion during a workshop Tuesday, the commission agreed to accept the grant.