Some relief is coming to several homes in Cameron County.

The county's Drainage District #6 recently got permits from the International Boundary and Water Commission to allow for the construction of new water pumps along the floodway levee.

"We have to move the water, we have to move the water quickly," Cameron County Drainage District #6 Director Gilbert Galvan said.

The pumps would keep water out of homes between La Feria and Harlingen during heavy rains. The district says the new pumps will also benefit farmers in the area.

"Can you imagine a field getting three, four feet of water and they've got livestock? Where does the livestock go? You can't just go pick them up and move them someplace," Galvan said. "The idea is to build these pumps and improve the structures at the levee to move the water quickly, and then start on the widening of the ditches."

The drainage district says they'll also begin working on widening the Adams Garden Ditch to 400 feet. That would bring relief to flood prone areas west of Primera and Harlingen.

The pumps and ditch widening projects cost $13.5 million. A mix of state, federal and local funds will be used for those projects.

The Texas Water Development Board still needs to award contracts to the district before construction can begin.

Work on all projects is expected to complete by 2030.