SOLVING ONE PROBLEM LEADS TO SEVERAL MORE.
The removal of sediment in excess of a hundred cubic yards from the Prairie Road Storm Drain, only part of what was in there, has led to a series of serious problems that need to be addressed by the City of Wildomar.
The most serious of the new problems is the lack of grates covering both the entrance and exit of this large storm drain.
The open entrance to this drain led to
Some one found a new place to wine and dine.
If the City of Wildomar should neglect this little detail it won’t be long before stories like this start to appear.
A day after a child drowned when he was sucked a half mile through a rain-swollen storm drain, village officials hastily decided on Wednesday to install a grate over the pipe.
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1998-08-06/news/9808060317_1_drain-pipe-grate-storm-drain
Two years later “Village has agreed to pay $2.8 million”
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2001-09-27/news/0109270036_1_storm-drain-pipe-drowned
Stories like these occur across the country because officials don’t consider the consequences of the curious child or teenager’s for that matter.
“Children are naturally curious about what’s in that pipe”
The storm drain where the teenager went in is about 54 inches in diameter but the pipe expands to about 10 feet. There could be up to 67,000 gallons of water per minute flowing through the pipe, officials said.
The pipe located in Prairie Road is listed as a 60 inch concrete pipe.
Some local governments have placed grates over dangerous stormwater pipes — but only after tragedy. As there are no federal guidelines mandating that potentially dangerous pipe openings be covered or fenced off.
This is a sight this community can do without by spending a few dollars to do it right.
Speaks for itself
One simple solution would be chain-link as found on Mission Trail at Malaga
Or a simple grate as seen at the new park site next to Ronald Reagan Elementary School. (Better maintained though)
Another solution can be found on Bryant Street east of Palomar.
The solutions to this situation are out there and currently being used in the area. This city needs to spend the time and money to do it correctly.