ATTLEBORO - A South Attleboro neighborhood which has been plagued by street flooding for years and was especially hard hit during record-setting rains in October 2005 and near-record rains in June 2006, can expect relief soon, a city official said Monday.

A key part of the solution, the installation of a new storm drain running between Oak Square and Tyson Place, could begin as soon as this week, said Public Works Superintendent John Clover.

The new 30-inch pipe, which will stretch across private property for about 200 feet, will be installed to replace the current pipe, which is clogged with roots and has a collapsed drain manhole, he said.

The clogs and damage cause much of the water backup into local streets, Clover said.

The city also plans to install a flow control device at the drain of a detention pond in a subdivision known as Level Acres off Adamsdale Road, which is north of the flood-prone area that includes Tomlinson Road, Magnolia and Brown streets as well as Oak Square and Tyson. The entire project will cost about $85,000. Cash for the work was approved about year ago, but an analysis of drainage in the area, including an internal inspection of the drainage pipes, had to be done.

In addition, easement agreements had to be worked out with four property owners, Clover said.

A proposal has also been floated to build a detention pond in the power line easement of National Grid off Highland and Robinson avenues to add storage capacity to the small stream that's fed by Level Acres and empties into the city storm drain in the Tyson area. That request is pending before National Grid.

"That would be the icing on the cake, but these other measures will definitely improve the situation," Clover said.

Property owners complained to the city council about a year ago when torrential rains combined with poor drainage caused nearly $120,000 worth of damage to homes in the area.

A rainfall total of 14.79 inches in October of 2005 was the highest recorded in any month during 67 years of record keeping by the city water department and rain in June of 2006 fell just shy of a record for that month at 12.57 inches. The record for June is 13.85 and was set in 1998.

GEORGE W. RHODES can be reached at 508-236-0432 or at grhodes@thesunchronicle.com.