Tuscaloosa outlines $40 million Cypress Creek drainage plan amid wastewater upgrades

Tuscaloosa outlines $40 million Cypress Creek drainage plan amid wastewater upgradesPrompted by citizen complaints over severe erosion, city officials have confirmed a massive upcoming investment in stormwater infrastructure, alongside new engineering contracts for the Hilliard N. Fletcher WRRF.

Tuscaloosa's long-term construction plan includes over $40 million in drainage improvements for Cypress Creek Phases 2 and 3 over the next three to five years.

The council approved a $240,167 contract amendment with Garner & Associates Engineering for electrical upgrades at the Hilliard N. Fletcher WRRF.

A $150,000 change order was authorized for Price Civil Services, Inc. to extend on-call sanitary sewer rehabilitation work through the fiscal year.

Easement acquisitions for the ongoing Cypress Creek 8 and Eastover Drainage projects were formally approved.

The City of Tuscaloosa is preparing for a massive investment in its municipal stormwater infrastructure, with officials projecting more than $40 million in drainage improvements along the Cypress Creek corridor over the next three to five years. The long-term capital plans were highlighted during the August 18 city council meeting after resident Jackie Dunn raised concerns about a trash-filled, severely eroding ravine off Skyland Boulevard. Dunn noted that stormwater runoff is causing soil erosion and suggested the channel should be concreted to properly manage the flow. In response, a council member confirmed that the city's long-term construction plan includes Cypress Creek Phases 2 and 3 to manage the large volume of water flowing from East Tuscaloosa into West Tuscaloosa. The upcoming phases will target the drainage corridor from 82 Skyland back toward the 69 South intersection. While the major capital works are slated for a three-to-five-year horizon, city code enforcement has been tasked with maintaining the existing channels in the interim. In the short term, the council moved forward with immediate stormwater property acquisitions, approving easement purchases for the Cypress Creek 8 Drainage Project and the Eastover Drainage Improvements Project. Beyond stormwater, the council advanced several wastewater infrastructure items during the meeting. A $240,167 contract amendment was approved for Garner & Associates Engineering to provide professional engineering services for 5KV electrical upgrades at the Hilliard N. Fletcher Water Resource Recovery Facility (WRRF). The amendment, funded by 2025B bonds, brings the total engineering contract to $923,667. Additionally, the council approved a $150,000 change order for the 2026 Sanitary Sewer Rehab and Repair Project. The additive change order increases the on-call contract with Price Civil Services, Inc. to maintain services through the end of the fiscal year, bringing the total contract value to $1,005,895. The council also signed off on the $10,258 purchase of a Watson Marlow HiFlow Pump and Pump Head for the Water and Sewer Department.