Final approvals pursued for Alljoy study

The Beaufort County Public Works Department is working to complete the final steps necessary to begin the Alljoy drainage study, an initiative started with the purpose of seeking solutions to flooding and pollution issues that have long been a concern of many Alljoy residents.

After an extensive bidding and selection process that began last summer, Seamon Whiteside has been chosen to conduct the study. 

“This firm was chosen because they had the best mix of experience, with both ‘gray infrastructure’ such as pipes and ditches and ‘green infrastructure’ such as bioswales and bioretention,” said Stormwater Program Manager Taylor Brewer.

All that remains before work can begin on the study is for key approvals to be granted. The Public Works procurement office wrote a contract to hire Seamon Whiteside, which was sent early last month for approval by the South Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority (RIA).  RIA awarded the grant last May, and it was accepted by Beaufort County Council in July. Brewer said an approval process like this usually takes two to three weeks. Upon RIA approval, the contract is scheduled to be considered by the Public Facilities and Safety committee of county council. Brewer filed an agenda item summary for the March 17 committee meeting. She believes a vote by the full council on approval of the contract is possible at the March 24 meeting, but says it may be delayed until April.

The drainage study is expected to take six months to a year. Despite the complexities and uniqueness of the Alljoy area, Brewer explains there are standard steps all of the department’s drainage studies involve.

The first is the asset collection phase, during which every stormwater structure in the neighborhood is located. This phase, which typically takes about three months, also involves getting accurate elevation data. This information must be precise. “It’s vital to have accurate elevation data, especially when you’re dealing with something that’s a three-foot elevation and you want to move water somewhere, every inch is critical,” Brewer points out.

The data is then entered into a computer model of how the system will run. This phase takes another three months. There are various factors the model can run. “This allows you to tweak things,” she explains.

The process by which factors such as pipe size can be altered and entered into the model facilitates the two to three month proposed solutions phase, allowing engineers to use different scenarios to address and overcome situations that could arise.

The final phase, deliverable development, gets the solution ready for presentation with models and other communication aids. It is a translation phase wherein the solution is presented in a way a majority of people can understand.

Brewer says they will build in meetings with residents during the process. While she doesn’t see the eventual plan being put up to a vote, she emphasizes they do want input from the neighborhood and want to be respectful of homeowners. “Some of these assets are going to be in people’s front yards. We want to know what they like aesthetically and what they hope to get out of whatever solution we come up with. We want to get as many opinions as we can and factor those into the final design.”

Brewer expects the changes that are implemented as a result of the study will be more along the lines of retrofitting. “I don’t know that it’s going to be on the level of a total system overhaul,” she said. Still, Brewer is optimistic that, with collaboration and creativity, the study will reveal options that will make a difference.

“With a situation as complex as this one, it’s going to take a combination of ideas to come up with a solution. We’ll have to get creative. I definitely think there are improvements that can be made.”

Brewer encourages residents to contact her with questions and to use the resources on the Beaufort County website to follow the progress of the study and other projects.

Channing Heiss is a freelance writer and a member of the Beaufort County disAbilities Coalition.