TOPEKA (KSNT) – Topeka city leaders made the decision Tuesday that the city would buy three homes that are prone to flooding.

This all started from flooding that happened last July, where roads and homes dealt with flooding issues. The city council is hoping to come up with a solution.

“It is our responsibility as a city to make sure that water flows where it is supposed to, and it is not a hazard to homeowners and businesses,” said city councilman Spencer Duncan.

One home is in the 1400 block of Southwest 14th Street & Ward Parkway and two in the 2900 block of SW 29th and Lane. The city will spend around $400,000 to buy the homes from the owners. They will demolish the homes and build a better drainage system. Braxton Copley, the director of utilities for Topeka said the best way to help people understand that these homes, which were approved to be built 40 years ago, would not be allowed to be built today because of the city code and drainage regulations.

“We have developed a lot of knowledge on stormwater over the last 50 years,” Copley said. “And certainly, there has been a lot of impervious services that have been added to the city which helps, instead of that water infiltrating when it is the ground, it runs off.”

Copley said the new drainage system should help the other homes nearby as well.