A major drainage project will be done in Watervliet this year in tandem with water system improvements. The Berrien County Board of Commissioners signed off on the $2.6 million South Watervliet Drainage District project Thursday. Watervliet City Manager Tyler Dotson told the board the drain work by the Berrien County Drain Commissioner will take place at the same time as water main improvements and the replacement of lead and copper intakes in the southwest corner of the city.
“We’re realizing economies of scale here, we are saving taxpayer dollars on mobilization and engineering costs, and frankly, with the bond rates where they are right now and the various funding mechanisms, we definitely support this project,” Dotson said. “It’s been a long time coming.”
Dotson told us the work will help to alleviate a problem with water pooling when it rains. He says it often just stays in yards and streets. The drain commissioner will seek to fix that. The work is slated to start in September, and should be finished next spring.
