Trammell Crow Contractor Pumped Silty Stormwater into Street…Again
On Sunday, 2/18/24 at 12:27 pm, Michelle Chavez photographed a Trammell Crow contractor pumping silty stormwater from a construction site into Kings Park Way near West Lake Houston Parkway. The silty water appeared to be routed through a filter bag.
Contractors commonly use such geo-textile bags to remove oil, grease, sediment, litter and debris from pumped water. But this bag had several gaping holes, undermining its effectiveness. No one appeared to supervise the operation.
Chavez said the water stunk badly. There was so much that it blocked one of the two southbound lanes on Kings Park Way.
Photos of Latest Discharge
See Chavez’ photos and video below.
Here is a 27-second video that puts all the pieces together and shows the construction activity in the background.
A second resident told me that the pumping continued into Sunday night…well after dark. Discharging on Sunday and at night can help avoid those pesky County inspectors.
Previous Discharges
This was not the first time the contractors had been caught on camera. Silty stormwater from the site has run into the street on several occasions in the last few weeks:
- On 1/14/24, I published a story about the lack of normal runoff controls that let stormwater flow into the street.
- Then on 1/29/24, I published a story about how Harris County Engineering cited them for stormwater violations.
- Next, on 1/31/24, they were photographed pumping silty stormwater into the street after 5PM, i.e., after county inspectors normally knock off work.
- Then on 2/2/24, they flooded the neighborhood again. Harris County Engineering and constables threatened to shut the site down.
After the last visit by Harris County officials, they finally started channelling the water away from Kings Park Way.
Most contractors plan for stormwater before it rains. What a mess!
Why Controlling Discharges from Construction Sites is Important
The EPA had this to say about the importance of controlling stormwater discharges from construction sites. “When it rains, stormwater washes over the loose soil on a construction site, along with various materials and products stored outside. As stormwater flows over the site, it can pick up pollutants like sediment, debris, and chemicals from that loose soil and transport them to nearby storm sewer systems or directly into rivers, lakes, or coastal waters.”
In this case, the water goes straight into Lake Houston, the source of drinking water for 2 million people.
County Engineering Notified Again
Harris County Engineering has once again been notified of the latest discharge, though the results of their investigation have not yet been reported.
Remind me never to rent an apartment here.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 2/22/24
2368 Days since Hurricane Harvey
The thoughts expressed in this post represent opinions on matters of public concern and safety. They are protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution and the Anti-SLAPP Statute of the Great State of Texas.
