KNEE-DEEP floodwaters that once crippled traffic along S. Osmeña St. in Barangay Basak, Lapu-Lapu City may soon be a thing of the past, as a 75,000-cubic-meter retention pond is being built to manage runoff from surrounding areas.
Lone District Rep. Junard “Ahong” Chan said in an interview that the P1.5-million retention pond is designed to handle heavy rainfall equivalent to an hour of continuous downpour affecting S. Osmeña St., Maximo Patalinhug, areas across The Outlets and parts of Basak.
“The Petron station in Basak is located in a low-lying area and, as a result, the road nearby slopes toward the station. Our solution was to construct a retention pond to manage runoff,” Chan said in Cebuano, adding that studies showed the project could help ease flooding in the area.
Chan recalled that a recent 114-millimeter rainfall left the area under knee-deep floodwaters, disrupting traffic and daily activities.
However, during a rainfall of similar intensity, the partially completed retention pond was able to contain the excess water, reducing flooding on nearby roads and in surrounding communities.
A retention pond is a permanent basin designed to manage stormwater runoff by holding water continuously and releasing it gradually to prevent flooding and downstream erosion.
The project, which began this month, includes sensors inside the retention pond that will activate a pumping station once water levels reach 20,000 cubic meters. The pumps will then move the water through an eight-inch-diameter pipeline toward a designated outfall.
The retention pond, located in front of a motor sales establishment in Basak, is expected to be completed first, while the pumping and piping systems are scheduled for installation in 2026.
Chan added that another retention pond has also been built within the gas station’s compound.
While the system is still incomplete, Chan said floodwaters are being manually declogged to ensure proper drainage.
Chan also said the installation of a new 2.4-meter box culvert drainage in Barangay Poblacion has helped keep the area largely flood-free despite recent heavy rains and storms, including typhoon Tino and super typhoon Uwan. / DPC