Panama City Beach city council moves forward with offshore stormwater outfall project – WMBB – mypanhandle.com

PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. (WMBB) The Panama City Beach City Council voted to move forward with the Lullwater and Calypso offshore stormwater outfall project on Thursday night.

The council accepted a $943,400 bid with DDC Engineering, Inc., who has built several offshore outfalls before, namely in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

It will help the Lullwater lake area be able to have a free flowing, clean exit out into the Gulf, said Councilman Geoff McConnell. It will also reduce any of the runoff that we have, any of the pollutants headed out there.

While engineers said on Thursday that the project will bring many benefits to the area, like decreased pollution and beach erosion, its ringing alarm bells for some residents concerned about the short and long-term effects of changing the current outfall situation.

Im a little bit nervous, said Panama City Beach resident, Molly Allen. What will the project bring if they close the outfall? What will the rate of water be going out? Changing the water level will affect peoples property.

However, some council members said the way the outfalls are now needs to change.

Its one of the biggest eyesores Panama City Beach has, said Councilman Paul Casto. I would love to get rid of these.

We get tons of complaints every time that it rains because it looks like its raw sewage headed out, McConnell said. Its really not, its just tannin that is in the lakes and freshwater.

Engineers said they understand the concern, as this would be the first offshore outfall like this in the Gulf region, but they said previous projects have proven success.

I was pleased with some of their answers, Allen said. I would like to hear more.

City leaders are scheduling a town hall where more questions can be addressed by the engineers designing the project, which is to be funded by the CRA and potential grants. Theres no word yet on the exact date for the town hall.

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Panama City Beach city council moves forward with offshore stormwater outfall project - WMBB - mypanhandle.com