A concept plan to manage water from heavy rains in a low-lying Bridgeport neighborhood and to provide a safe way to higher ground for residents received strong endorsement during a public hearing held as part of Connecticut’s work to update HUD on the state’s planned use of Rebuild by Design funding.

With HUD’s approval of the stormwater management concept, the Project Team will start analyzing its environmental impact, with an aim to begin construction in early 2019. The plan has four key components: elevating and extending a street for dry egress; construction of a park that includes stormwater “terraces” to temporarily capture rainwater from a new, adjacent residential development; an outflow conduit to divert water from the park; and a pumping system and force main to direct and eject excess groundwater into a nearby creek