August 3, 2013  — Written by Colin Atagi

PALM DESERT — The $2.7 million awarded to a Palm Desert homeowners association in a lawsuit against its engineering firm will be used to install a new drainage system and reimburse the HOA for money spent on clearing the neighborhood of flood waters several times over three years, the HOA’s attorney said Saturday. It’s too early to say how the money will be divided, but most of it will be used to pay for upgrades to the drainage system at Paseo Vista, said Robert Gilliland Jr., a Palm Desert attorney who represented the HOA in Riverside County Superior Court. The rest of the award will be used to reimburse the HOA for money spent on a civil engineer hired to investigate the flooding, a pumping service to remove flood waters and legal fees.  Read more: