SAN ANTONIO – Onesimo Barrera had been dealing with “ridiculous flooding” in his yard and home on Rockwell Boulevard on the South Side for decades.
The issue stemmed from a neighbor who placed piles of dirt on Barerra’s property, clogging the drainage system.
After TheTXLoop brought attention to the flood and reached out to the City of San Antonio on Wednesday, Barrera’s local councilmember, Edward Mungia (D4), and others from the city met at Barrera’s home on Thursday.
“The city attorney’s office is going to be sending this person some information, some legal notices,” Mungia said. “Like, you’re blocking the drainage channel. You’re building over. You’re affecting other properties. That’s, in my mind, that’s a public nuisance.”
Barrera is concerned about the ability to get in and out of his home, especially for his wife, who is in a wheelchair and can not move through the flooded yard. He said the city sent out two pump trucks before, but did not make much progress.
A truck to pump water out of the area showed up on Thursday afternoon and began to pump water out again.
“I guarantee you it’s not gonna make a dent,” Barrera said.
However, the interim assistant director of Public Works, Jessica Shirley-Saenz, said they plan to frequently tend to Barrera’s yard.
“We’re gonna do our best that after every rain that will be out here to actually pump,” Shirley-Saenz said.
The City of San Antonio has a total of three pump trucks, according to Shirley-Saenz.
The number of trucks was a shocking realization for Barrera, and it put into perspective just how difficult it is to pump any flooded area in the city.
The two lots near the Barrera’s home had 252 cubic yards pumped out in about the last week. Shirley-Saenz said that is equivalent to about 50,000 tons.
Councilmember Mungia plans to allocate $700,000 worth of District 4’s money to an improvement project on Rockwell Boulevard.
However, that money still has to be approved, considering the city’s anticipated budget deficit. If that money is approved, a project to improve drain infrastructure and roadways on Rockwell Boulevard could begin as early as September or October.
Barrera asked to start the project with the drainage system, not the roadways. Shirley-Saenz agreed that the project would begin with the drainage system if approved.
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