Weslaco residents impacted by Monday's flood are asking the city for solutions, but a drainage project more than two years in the making is still waiting on federal money.

The city has been waiting since April 2025 for FEMA to approve more than $700,000 to begin designing the concrete pipe and box culverts needed to move water out of the affected neighborhoods. Work cannot begin until that funding is secured.

Weslaco resident Patricia Ramos took Channel 5 News to her backyard three days after it flooded during Monday's storm. Water marks on the back part of her home reached ankle-high levels.

She plans to tear out a portion of the sheetrock, which she will have to pay for out of pocket.

Her main concern is the canal behind her house, which she said filled up quickly Monday.

"And they did pump out that water from that canal that just stores water," Ramos said.

The city has been working on improving the canal since the end of 2024.

Weslaco Mayor Adrian Gonzalez said the situation is personal for him.

"I grew up in this area, so I know that we need this assistance," Gonzalez said.

The city would match 20% of the project's cost, but no work can begin until FEMA clears the funding.

"So it's sitting on FEMA's desk. It's taken a while because the shutdown prolonged the review of projects," Gonzalez said.

The mayor recently traveled to Washington, D.C., to speak with local members of Congress to move the funding along. He is also looking at other options and asking commissioners for approval.

"Certified obligation bonds could be an option to move along the design for the Paisano project while we wait for the response from FEMA on the $705,000," Gonzalez said.

The Paisano drainage improvement project is part of a larger $7 million project that includes a now-completed detention pond near Beatriz Garza Middle School and a canal widening project between Westgate Drive and Border Avenue.

Channel 5 News reached out to FEMA to learn more about the status of Weslaco's request for money to help pay for the design of the Paisano drainage project and is waiting to hear back.

Watch the video above for the full story.