TAMPA, Fla., (WFLA) – On Thursday morning, Tampa Metropolis Council members will get a report on the town’s stormwater system.
A number of areas within the metropolis noticed unprecedented flooding in 2024.
Throughout Hurricane Milton, many neighborhoods in Zone X or neighborhoods not in a flood zone flooded, resulting in individuals wanting solutions.
Through the hurricane, water ranges rose, and houses have been destroyed, even in areas that weren’t anticipated to flood.
“After all I am upset, I misplaced lots,” mentioned one resident.
“When Milton got here, it flooded the entire yard, it flooded the entire room so dangerous that their stuff was floating,” mentioned one other.
Forest Hills neighborhood doesn’t have a flood zone, or in Zone X, however flooded from the hurricanes.
“They mentioned Forest Hills is a no flood zone, so what occurred to the pumps?” questioned one resident.
What occurred to the pumps was the query on everybody’s thoughts.
“We did have one generator that went out on one of many pumps in Forest Hills, all three of these pumps have been on TECO energy,” mentioned Mayor Jane Castor. “TECO energy went out and people pumps stopped at the moment. The generator over right here kicked in, the opposite one did not, however once more, these have been storms of historic nature.”
This report being mentioned on Thursday morning is the results of an audit from the town’s stormwater pumps.
It’s anticipated to point out a scarcity of upkeep for pumps wanted in storm emergencies.
Mayor Jane Castor mentioned the storms Tampa skilled have been momentous.
“There isn’t a stormwater system on the earth that’s constructed to deal with that,” Castor mentioned.
Throughout earlier conferences, council member Luis Viera requested an unbiased investigation to be completed, and that movement handed unanimously.
“This is not one thing that occurs day by day, this is not that we spent a couple of extra {dollars} on a undertaking, or we misplaced one thing. Lots of of properties, if no more, have been flooded that have been in non-flood zones and the residents are shocked at what occurred,” mentioned Viera. “We owe them solutions exterior of what the town does internally.”
The assembly started at 9:00 a.m.
