If you were impacted by the hurricanes that swept across the area a couple months ago and caused widespread flooding, you're probably wondering what will be changed for the region to better handle the next hurricane season, which starts in June.
The City of Tampa discussed some of the short-term flooding solutions they want to implement during their workshop Thursday.
“When it comes to just the basics of stormwater, to me that's like just Government 101,” City Councilman Luis Viera said at the start of the meeting. “We deal with public safety, we deal with parks, we deal with roads, we deal with stormwater. And if we can't do that, then we're not having a functional municipal government. It's like having a Pizza Hut, and you can't make a pizza.”
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Some water pump stations in Tampa lost power during the hurricanes, meaning they weren't active when needed most.
Vik Bhide, Tampa's mobility department director, says pump upgrades are needed throughout the city, with generators added wherever they aren't already.
"Given the system that we have, it is quite good, but it's not enough. We're going to need more resources,” Bhide said.
He said upgrading the system around the city would take roughly two years.
The need for more generators
For this upcoming hurricane season, Bhide says his team get more generators and pre-stage them a day before the storm hits so there's less of a chance the pumps turn off.
“We're prepared with our pump stations to make sure the concerns that we had last year relative to power will not happen this year,” Bhide said.
He also says he wants to get city money to create a two-person pump station team to focus purely on that aspect of stormwater.
On top of that, he’s requesting half a million dollars more in his department’s budget that would help with maintenance.
He says stormwater policy changes are on the horizon, too.
Other council members recommended other aspects of the stormwater and flooding issues Tampa faces, including wastewater management, and permitting when buying and building new homes and development.
Make your concerns known
“I would encourage anybody who's buying a house — look at the look at the elevation maps before you buy your house,” Councilman Bill Carlson said. “You might be in a flood zone or whatever. But when you look at the elevation around you, if the areas around you are higher than yours, then the water is going to flow down.”
Councilwoman Lynn Hurtak suggested a better flood reporting system for residents to communicate with the department, along with monthly updates on stormwater solutions that the public can hear.
“Part of what will make people feel better is a continual reminder of where we are, what we're doing, the types of movement, and of movement that's coming,” Hurtak said.
Viera said it’s important that the public stays consistent in telling city leaders about their struggles from the hurricanes.
“Always tell your story and be active in connecting with elected officials and letting people know your stories, because people have been devastated, scarred, PTSD,” Viera said. “[They’ve] gone through the worst hell in life that I've seen, and it's so important to continue to tell your story and not let people forget about what happened about 110 days ago.”
Bhide says he'll break down the issues and potential solutions even more during a city council meeting early in February.
Studies from an outside consulting firm on what exactly went wrong with the stormwater and water pump systems will be presented to Tampa City Council in May.
