COLUMBIA, S.C. — A solution for flooding near Columbia’s Five Points could be coming soon.
Columbia City Council is looking to turn a once popular business into a retention pond.
Constan Car Wash was a bustling place with lots of vehicles looking to get clea, it was where everyone would go. In the early days of the business, a live tiger named Happy, greeted customers. But since November, the lot on Gervais street has sat empty…
“The city’s in negotiations with the owners of the Constan Car Wash to purchase that property to use a retention pond to help the flooding situation in Five Points," City Council member, Howard Duvall said.
“I called the tripleheader because we can control the water from going to Five Points, we can eliminate the flooding underneath the trestle on Gervais Street," Duvall said.
Crews previously worked to clean debris from stormwater drains, but businesses like A Little Happy said the work is never-ending.
“When I came to Five Points my landlord and several of the other business owners say it’s not a matter of if it floods it’s a matter of when it floods," said Ashley Linder, owner of A Little Happy.
With this solution, she said she's still concerned about clean stormwater drains.
“If they could get the debris that comes from all of the houses and the trash coming downhill, if they could get that diverted to the lake,” Linder said.
Dean Ellison started the Gentlemen’s Closet on Saluda Avenue. He also knows the struggle of Five Points flooding.
“It’s been about twice a year for 20 years we have floods. Hopefully, they’ll be gone. Anything they can do to stop them I’m in favor of," Ellison said
The project is in negotiations, and a price will come later. Once the city and the owner come to an agreement, the money to pay for the pond will come from the city's stormwater budget.