PANAMA CITY BEACH Local officials hope to one day use gravity to drain stormwater from the Beach into the Gulf of Mexico.
However, it will be more of a marathon than a sprint, leaders said Thursday during a Panama City Beach City Council meeting.
The council directed the city staff to begin negotiations with a company to draw up the scope and price to install an offshore outfall that would combine stormwater outfalls near Lullwater Lake and the Calypso Resort and Towers. The water then would be transferred underground and deposited more than 1,000 feet into the Gulf.
According to City Manger Tony O Rourke, offshore outfalls have been successful in other areas, including Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; and Virginia Beach, Virginia. The problem is that they re also extremely expensive, ranging from about $12 million to $15 million. Fortunately, Panama City Beach has the right topography for them to work.