ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (WFLA) — The Metropolis of St. Petersburg has put in an AquaFence to assist with floods at Elevate Station 85.
The town mentioned it selected this specific wastewater facility as a result of it’s accountable for 25% of the town’s wastewater, together with lots of the space’s hospitals.
The AquaFence is 500 linear toes lengthy and 9 toes excessive.
St. Pete is taking the teachings realized from final hurricane season to arrange for this 12 months.
“Throughout Helene, the flood waters truly reached the sting of the steps and had been encroaching on coming into this facility, so it is fairly important that we offer these measures and reinforcements,” mentioned Kira Barrera, St. Pete Water Sources Division.
Elevate Station 85 is important, as officers mentioned 1 / 4 of the wastewater from the town flows to this station, together with many important buildings that want to remain open throughout and after a storm.
“Majority of the hospitals are served by this facility, as is our emergency operations heart [and] lots of the storm shelters that individuals would go to throughout a storm,” mentioned Claude Tankersley, Public Works Administrator.
Officers mentioned there are various completely different preventative measures, like elevating buildings, however this AquaFence is the perfect line of protection for this facility.
“We met with Tampa Normal Hospital and did some classes realized and debriefing from them, as nicely. They’ve had their AquaFence for about 5 years now,” Barrera mentioned. “Along with the AquaFence, we’re elevating important elements inside the ability, and we even have secondary measures, flood boundaries on the doorways and different waterproof coatings that we’re implementing right here, as nicely.”
The fence protects the constructing for as much as 15 toes of water.
“We have a look at this as insurance coverage, we paid $700,000 insurance coverage to guard a facility that’s thousands and thousands and thousands and thousands of {dollars} and serves 1 / 4 of our metropolis. So, it is a good funding,” Tankersley mentioned.
Officers mentioned that three-fourths of the AquaFence goes to wait for the rest of hurricane season and if a storm is coming, they may put up the opposite half earlier than the storm hits.
