More drainage improvements in Washington are in the pipeline.

During its July 13 meeting, the Washington City Council authorized paying $53,300 to Ark Consulting Group for engineering work related to those drainage improvements, which are slated for the area of Jack’s Creek basin from Seventh and Ninth streets, an area near Willow Street and between Alderson Road and Reed Drive in the Smallwood neighborhood. The Willow Street project involves a deteriorating retaining wall on either side of a gut off Jack’s Creek. The Smallwood project was identified during a 2007 drainage-needs study conducted for the city.

Similar projects have been completed in Smallwood and the Jack’s Creek basin have been completed in recent years. Those projects and others were identified in another study conducted about 14 years ago. That study identified at least $12 million in drainage improvement projects.

Four years ago, the city spent $5 million on drainage projects in three areas.

That work improved stormwater drainage in three of the city’s drainage basins. The demolition of the former school on Harvey Street and the installation of larger drainpipes improved stormwater drainage to Jack’s Creek; work at the intersection of U.S. Highway 17 and 15th Street improved drainage of the Airport Canal to Tranter’s Creek. Work on Northwood Road in Smallwood improved drainage to Runyan Creek.

In other action, the council adopted a grant project ordinance regarding sewer improvements.

The city has been awarded $2 million — $500,000 was awarded in the form of principal forgiveness, which will not have to be paid back — for the work. That work includes addressing inflow and infiltration projects.

Inflow and infiltration is when water from outside sources (mostly groundwater) enters sewer lines through cracks, holes and faulty joints. I&I adds to wastewater-treatment costs because it increased the amount of wastewater to be treated.

Last year, the city received a $35,000 grant to pay for an I&I study to determine where outside water enters the sewer system. That study uses visual inspection and smoke tests to locate possible I&I sites in the sewer system.

“Our intent, right now, is to look at the drainage basin for 13^th and Bridge streets and that pump station. We have a lot of I&I issues there, as well as in the historic district. … We wanted to get this information to you as quick as we could because there’s a March 31 deadline on it,” then-City Manager Brian Alligood said at the council’s Feb. 23 meeting.