SAN ANTONIO – Residents of Oakland Estates have long been vocal about issues affecting their community. What they did not anticipate was a shift in focus to a new and pressing matter: a large-scale drainage project in the area.
Recently, the City of San Antonio revealed its initial plans to address flooding and drainage concerns along Southwell and Hollyhock roads. The proposed designs, presented just last week, have sparked a wave of mixed reactions from the community.
Project details
During the city’s presentation a week ago, officials showed detailed renderings of the proposed drainage improvements.
These include a 15-foot drainage channel, an underground drainage system, and an integration with an ongoing project called “Outfall C” along Prue Road.
The total estimated cost for the project is $6 million, and as of now, the design phase is approximately 40% complete.
Resident concerns
Some community members voiced concerns about the potential impacts on their neighborhood. Specific concerns were raised about environmental disruptions, the impact on historic features, and the possible risks associated with drainage changes.
“Did you know that there is a sewer line in that creek? Did you know that there’s 200-year-old trees in that creek, and once that water starts flowing down there, what’s going to happen to the sewer line?” one resident said in a recent meeting.
“Generally, when you come up with a plan, and you are looking at a larger area because you need to know how it’s going to affect everything and its consequences, so it means that the one individual can do this by looking at this, you know, what about all of the pollution you’re bringing in through our pretty organic neighborhood quite frankly?” another resident asked.
Next steps
Construction is expected to start in the summer of 2026 and wrap up by the fall of 2027.
The latest episode of “Know My Neighborhood” airs at 6 p.m. Thursday. You can watch the episode on KSAT.com, KSAT Plus, KSAT’s YouTube page, and all other KSAT digital platforms.
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