Private property owners and homeowners associations grappling with damaged drainage systems can receive financial assistance for repairs through a new James City County grant program.
Awards up to $50,000 to cover the costs of mapping, inventory, inspection, maintenance and repair of neighborhood drainage systems are available through the James City County Neighborhood Drainage Maintenance Grant Program, which was approved by the Board of Supervisors in April.
According to a county news release, “structures such as inlets, pipes, vegetated or paved swales and outfall structures which manage storm runoff within a neighborhood and outside of the roadways” can be repaired with grant funds but not drainage systems within a roadway.
John Horne, JCC general services director, said residents should apply for the grants because they could help some communities “double their capacity” to complete drainage maintenance.
“In the absence of some assistance from local government, the neighborhoods would have to bear 100 percent of the costs,” Horne said. “That’s a big task for a lot of neighborhoods.”
Applications are now online and must be submitted by Jan. 8.
An application workshop will be held at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 3 at the James City County Recreation Center, located at 5301 Longhill Road. Pre-registration is required and can be completed by calling 757-259-1443 or emailing stormwater@jamescitycountyva.gov.
