The Town Council has approved the next step in addressing the storm drain project along Panorama Drive. Phase I was the installation of 3,000 feet of new storm drainpipe from near Saguaro Blvd. to El Lago Blvd. along Panorama. That was completed last year under budget.

The next phase is for improvements to the storm drain channel east of El Lago. The council approved an $80,000 contract with Wood Patel & Associates for the engineering design on the project.

The channel extension from the upstream storm drain is about 800 feet and 50 feet wide. It is an area with natural groundwater which flows even during dry weather. The water creates stagnant water odors and attracts mosquitoes and insects.

The developer years ago installed a pump in the wash to help mitigate the excess water and it currently pumps 30,000 to 60,000 gallons of water back to Fountain Lake every 24 hours.

The improvement project would extend the storm drain piping and upgrade the pumping system in an effort to further mitigate the ill effects of the standing water and swampy area.

Construction on the project would come after the engineering design and would bids would come to the council for approval before work would begin.