Costa Mesa receives flood-prevention grant

A $2.8-million grant recently given to the city of Costa Mesa will help reduce flooding conditions on the Westside, officials said Thursday.

The Orange County Transportation Authority money will help fund the Industrial Way Water Quality and Storm Drain Improvement Project, an estimated $4.7-million effort that will install a subterranean catch basin in Lions Park to detain and filter rainwater, according to city news release.

The basin will be between the Costa Mesa Historical Society headquarters and Downtown Recreation Center within the 10-acre Lions Park complex. Another storm drain system on Anaheim Avenue between Plumer and 18th streets is also in the works, officials said.

The project is expected to increase the entire storm drain system’s capacity by 20%, thereby reducing the potential for flooding, city officials said.

Project construction is expected to commence in late 2014.

—Bradley Zint

Twitter: @bradleyzint