MILTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - Residents who’ve had floodwater get into their homes multiple times are being told relief is on the way.

Monday evening, U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., U.S. Senator Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., announced the long-awaited floodwall project along the Mud River will receive $190.7 million from the omnibus spending bill.

Capito serves on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, which works with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

“I think we’ve seen because we had recent flooding in the Milton area that this floodwall is absolutely essential to protect life and property,” Capito said.

In a written statement, Senator Manchin said this project will move much of the town out of the flood plain, helping spur economic development and changing it from a 27-year-flood plain to a 250-year one.

“Milton has an extensive history of severe flooding that puts lives and livelihoods at risk in the community,” Manchin said. “Just last year, flooding took a man’s life in Milton.”

The floodwall is expected to be 1.5 miles long with an average height of 19 feet. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says the earthen levee will provide protection for more than 600 structures.

Tuesday afternoon, a crew was at the Pumpkin Park near the river collecting information for the project.

Construction of the floodwall was expected to begin in the summer of 2021. Residents were told the pandemic and inflation were reasons for the delay.

Last week, WSAZ reported on the plight of Alice Templeton. Floodwater got into her house earlier this month for the second time since 2021.

Templeton says she won’t feel relief until she sees it.

“I’ll believe it when I see them starting on it,” she said. “I’ve heard the same old thing over and over and over, and they haven’t done anything.”

“It’s going to take a while for the project to fully develop,” Capito said, “but the funding is going to be there, and the project is going to be complete, so relief is on the way.”

Ida Smith lives at the end of Georgia Avenue. She says she and her husband were asked about being bought out for the project in 2019. On Tuesday evening, Smith told WSAZ they are still waiting to learn when that will happen.