LAFAYETTE, (KLFY)- Lafayette Consolidated Government along with local engineers, hydrologist, and scientist are working on the drainage proposal that could win the city up to $5 million.

The challenge is sponsored and organized by Bloomberg Philanthropies. They challenge cities across the country to identify problems and develop solutions to those problems.

With so many residents still devastated by last year’s flood, Lafayette Mayor-President Joel Robideaux said it makes sense that the project will focus on drainage.

“For the long term and for the competition, we know that we need to be smarter about how we manage the water,” said Robideaux.

The application will be due in October.

“Our hope is that we will be able to put together an application that uses our technology, he uses fiber, uses Lafayette’s reputation as being on the cutting edge of innovation to come up with a way that we can better manage our water and then they could be replicated in other communities,” explained Robideaux.

In 2013, Lafayette advanced as a top 20 finalist in the Mayors Challenge.