NEWSOMS—Standing water in yards and flooded ditches in Newsoms have created favorable conditions for mold and mosquitoes for years and headaches for residents.

“We’ve been working on this since 1995,” said Ruby Worrell, vice president of the Coffer Coasters, the Newsoms civic organization that initiated the grant process. “When we have a serious rain, the water stands so long that some of the citizens get mold inside of their houses.”

However, the town could soon get relief. A $25,000 grant through the Southeast Rural Community Assistance Project is paying for a study of what is needed to improve drainage in the town.

The town council on Monday night authorized B & B Consultants of South Hill to begin the study.

Sam Carroll of B&B Consultants told the council the town’s drainage problems could be caused by the flat land and problems with current ditches that lead out of town.

“The main thing I think that would best solve these problems is to go in and install something like concrete lined ditches … especially in the main channels,” Carroll said. “Not only is it more effective at getting the water away faster, it’s a lot easier to maintain.”

He said he didn’t think it would be necessary to line all of the town’s ditches with concrete.

At this point, the project isn’t costing the town’s taxpayers any money, according to Mayor Harvey Porter.

“Right now, we’re operating on the grant,” Porter said, adding that it could be possible to get another grant to pay for the actual work.