THE WEEKEND OUTLOOK. THAT COMING UP AT 1018. TONY, THANK YOU. HEAVY RAIN FROM THIS AREA OF INTEREST IN THE GULF COULD ALSO HAVE SOME PEOPLE IN SANFORD FLOODING. THEY WERE HIT HARD LAST HURRICANE SEASON. WASHINGTON, I KEEP FORGETTING THIS IS LIVE FOR US FROM THE SANFORD RIVER WALK NOW WITH THE CITY’S PLANS TO IMPROVE THE SEWER INFRASTRUCTURE. TONIGHT, DO HURRICANE IAN PUT PARTS OF THIS RIVER WALK UNDER WATER FOR WEEKS AND IT OVERWHELMED THE STORM WATER SYSTEM AND FORCED LEADERS TO RETHINK WHERE TO PRIORITIZE RESOURCES SO THAT THEY’RE BETTER PREPARED THE NEXT TIME THEY FACE HEAVY RAIN. WE ARE FINDING THAT THE STORM EVENTS ARE MORE CHALLENGING THAN WE’VE EVER EXPERIENCED BEFORE. THE UTILITY MANAGER FOR THE CITY OF SANFORD, BILL MARCO, SAYS HE FEELS BETTER PREPARED FOR THIS HURRICANE SEASON AFTER LEARNING SOME TOUGH LESSONS LAST YEAR. BUT IN TERMS OF ACTUAL OVERCOMING THE CHALLENGE IS WILL HAVE TO BE REMAINS TO BE SEEN WITH THE ACTUAL EVENT ITSELF. HURRICANE IAN THREW WATER OUT OF MANHOLES, FLOODING STREETS AND PUTTING PART OF SANFORD RIVERWALK UNDER WATER. A CLOGGED STORMWATER SYSTEM PUSHED SEWER WATER INTO SOME DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES, FORCING THEM TO CLOSE. THE CITY HAS SINCE DEVOTED RESOURCES AND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO IMPROVE THINGS SUCH AS REPLACING THE WASTEWATER SYSTEM ON THE PUBLIC WORKS SITE. THEY HAD TO PUT UP A TEMPORARY BRIDGE OUT TO THE MARINA ISLE, WHERE THERE’S ASSISTED LIVING FACILITY AND SOME BUSINESSES OUT THERE. YOU KNOW, AND THEN THEY MOVED THAT ONCE THE WATER LEVEL WENT DOWN. SO WE HAVE TO BE PREPARED TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT AS WE’RE ENTERING A NEW HURRICANE SEASON, COUPLED WITH AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE IN THE GULF THAT’S MOVING CLOSER TO THE STATE. PEOPLE SHOULD BE STORM READY. THERE’S A POTENTIAL FOR STREET FLOODING THAT ULTIMATELY WOULD LEAD INTO SEWER BACKUPS, BOTH ON THE SANITARY AND THE STORM SEWER AND SO TAKING ON STORM FLOODING COULD CAUSE THE STREET FLOODING THAT CAN STAY FOR A WHILE UNTIL THE RAINS SUBSIDE AND NOW THE CITY SAYS IMPROVE AMOUNTS TO THE VACUUM SEWER SYSTEM. SHOULD FINISH BY NEXT YEAR.
Sanford city leaders prepare for hurricane season
![WESH logo]()
Updated: 10:54 PM EDT May 31, 2023
Heavy rain from an area of low pressure in the Gulf could mean flooding for some vulnerable parts of Sanford hit hard last hurricane season.Hurricane Ian put parts of the Sanford Riverwalk under water for weeks and it overwhelmed the stormwater system. It forced leaders to rethink where to prioritize resources the next time they face heavy rain."We are finding that the storm events are more challenging than we've ever experienced before," Sanford utility manager Bill Marcous said. Marcous says the city feels better prepared for this hurricane season after learning some tough lessons last year."But in terms of actual overcoming the challenges, we'll have to remain to see the event itself," Marcous said. Hurricane Ian threw water out of manholes and flooding streets. A clogged stormwater system pushed sewer water into some downtown businesses forcing them to close. The city has since devoted resources and millions of dollars to improve things. The city is working on replacing the wastewater system."On the public works side, they had to put a temporary bridge out to the Marina Isle, where there is an assisted living facility and some businesses out there and they removed it once the water level went down, so we have to be prepared to do something like that," Marcous said.As we're entering a new hurricane season coupled with an area of low pressure in the Gulf that's moving closer to the state people are encouraged to be storm ready. "There's a potential for street flooding that ultimately would lead into sewer backups both on the sanitary and the storm sewer," Marcous said. "And the storm flooding could cause the street flooding that could stay for a while until the rain subsides." Related content:Hurricane preparedness: Essential steps to protect yourself and your homeHow to prepare for flooding produced by hurricanesHurricane watches, warnings: What they mean and what to do duringTop headlines:Police: 4 children, 5 adults shot near beach in FloridaPolice: Baby dies after parents leave her in car to go to church in Palm BayMan goes overboard on Carnival cruise off Florida coast, Coast Guard says
SANFORD, Fla. — Heavy rain from an area of low pressure in the Gulf could mean flooding for some vulnerable parts of Sanford hit hard last hurricane season.
Hurricane Ian put parts of the Sanford Riverwalk under water for weeks and it overwhelmed the stormwater system. It forced leaders to rethink where to prioritize resources the next time they face heavy rain.
"We are finding that the storm events are more challenging than we've ever experienced before," Sanford utility manager Bill Marcous said.
Marcous says the city feels better prepared for this hurricane season after learning some tough lessons last year.
"But in terms of actual overcoming the challenges, we'll have to remain to see the event itself," Marcous said.
Hurricane Ian threw water out of manholes and flooding streets. A clogged stormwater system pushed sewer water into some downtown businesses forcing them to close.
The city has since devoted resources and millions of dollars to improve things. The city is working on replacing the wastewater system.
"On the public works side, they had to put a temporary bridge out to the Marina Isle, where there is an assisted living facility and some businesses out there and they removed it once the water level went down, so we have to be prepared to do something like that," Marcous said.
As we're entering a new hurricane season coupled with an area of low pressure in the Gulf that's moving closer to the state people are encouraged to be storm ready.
"There's a potential for street flooding that ultimately would lead into sewer backups both on the sanitary and the storm sewer," Marcous said. "And the storm flooding could cause the street flooding that could stay for a while until the rain subsides."
Related content:
Top headlines:
