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Running between Ciudad Juarez in Mexico and El Paso in Texas, which sit next to each other on either side of the border, the 300m tunnel was concealed in a storm sewer system and only discovered last week - despite official estimates it took at least a year to build.

Wastewater treatment plants are designed to take in thousands of gallons of wastewater from sanitary and storm sewer systems, and that water also carries a significant load of microplastics and PFAS.

Under their driveway was a hidden 5-foot-diameter storm sewer that was installed when the farmland was converted to residential property.

“Water sitting on a bridge is bad for many reasons, so we want to make sure it drains off the bridge so it doesn’t cause problems in the long run,” Rock said — and a small creek “is a more ecologically sensitive and beneficial solution for runoff” than dumping water in a storm sewer.

Santa Cruz workers are in emergency mode and prepared for water rescues, Keeley said, but he said he worries about keeping infrastructure operational, including the storm sewer, drains and gutters.