CENTRAL - There's a big drainage project happening in the City of Central. Compliance EnviroSystems, LLC has been contracted to do the work, taking images of every catch basin, pipe, and culvert in the city.

Tuesday, CES started working in the Northwoods subdivision clearing out trouble spots.

Central Mayor David Barrow says the $3 million project is using money from the city's general fund.

"All kinds of things they're pulling out of these drains from basketballs, soccer balls, small bicycle parts," Barrow said.

There's a lot to tackle. The work identified 3,674 catch basins and 132,000 feet of underground pipes need to be cleaned. 

"Some of these driveway culvert pipes that you see might be 50-percent clogged. Obviously anytime we can pull debris and get the mud and the muck out of those you're going to see an improvement in the drainage," Barrow said.

The city has its own DPW crew to help keep the ditches clear, but they always need help managing the extensive drainage system.

"The best thing we ask people to do is help keep your ditches clean and we appreciate all the people who do."

It allows crews to tackle bigger projects, like the one that's happening now. It'll take CES about a year to complete the work.

The City of Central is also partnering with the City-Parish, committing half a million dollars to clean out the Comite River. The measure goes before the city council next week.