LA MESA (KGTV) — For years, Tom Ritz worried that the drainage ditch next to his La Mesa home could eventually cause serious damage during a major storm.
Now, after years of erosion and repeated flooding concerns, the city is taking action.
Construction is officially underway near the Ritz family’s home at the corner of Johnson Drive, where crews are replacing the dirt drainage ditch with a concrete drainage system designed to better control stormwater.
“I feel ecstatic,” Ritz said. “It’s wonderful. It’s nice to see this thing going.”
Ritz has owned this home since 1988. The construction is giving Ritz something he has wanted for years: peace of mind.
“Right now they’re installing a new drainage system on what used to be just a dirt ditch. Now they’re putting in concrete,” he said.
The problem had been building for decades.
The drainage ditch had gradually grown, eating away at Ritz’s yard and inching closer to the family’s home. Heavy rain made the situation worse.
Video from flooding in January 2024 showed water rushing through the area and eroding the ditch’s banks.
“The flooding is always an issue,” Ritz said. “You could see from earlier photos where it was eroding the banks all the way up to the house.”
The situation became serious enough that Ritz brought his concerns directly to La Mesa city leaders.
In April, the City Council approved changes intended to stop the erosion and drainage problems from getting worse.
La Mesa Councilmember Laura Lothian said the condition had gone far beyond a minor neighborhood issue.
“This was beyond an issue. This was absolute destruction,” Lothian said.
At the time, Ritz said he was simply relieved that the city was moving forward. He did not have a firm expectation for when construction would begin.
Construction began this month, marking a major step toward resolving the long-standing flooding concerns.
Lothian said the completed project will create a concrete drainage path to prevent the ditch from further consuming the Ritz family’s yard.
“It feels very good that this is being fixed again,” Lothian said. “That drainage ditch had eaten the yard. There was almost no yard left. By the time they’re done, we will have a concrete drainage path.”
For Ritz, the construction is about more than a new concrete channel. It means no longer having to wonder what the next major storm could do.
After years of watching the ditch grow, he can finally see the problem being addressed.
And for a family that spent years worrying about flooding and erosion, that progress is providing a welcome sense of relief.
