Crews stationed around Tampa to clean out stormwater drains, monitor water levels ahead of tropical system

TAMPA, Fla. - The city of Tampa’s Stormwater Department had crews stationed around the city on Friday to clean out stormwater drains and monitor water levels ahead of the weekend.

Crews also had pump stations out at retention ponds in low-lying areas to monitor water levels.

"We pull a lot of large debris out," Derek Graham, with the city of Tampa’s Stormwater Department said. "If a grocery cart gets stuck in it or a piece of furniture, it will back up to the trash collector, and then it will start backing up the debris, leaves that naturally fall in the ditch. It will back all that stuff up, and it’ll push the water back and out."

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Crews cleaned out drains in hotspot areas throughout the city, including parts of South Tampa, East Tampa, North Tampa, Drew Park and other low-lying areas.

"It’s low-lying, and this area gets bad quickly," Graham said. "Cars flooding out, residents getting water in their place. So, it’s very important that we get ahead of this, because the large rain events will back the system up. A lot of times, we have a system where we have to fight the bay. When the tides are up, the water sits longer, and it’s harder for the water to push out."

Graham said it’s important that they get out ahead of any heavy rain or severe weather, because if the debris backs up the drains, it can cause major flooding and catastrophic problems.

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"If they’re living near any of these systems, this water could come out of the banks and into their property, and it could be bad for the homeowner when it does that," Graham said.

The city encourages residents not to dump yard debris and trash into nearby drainage areas.

Officials said residents should also clear out any debris from the gutters and ditches around their own homes ahead of the weekend.

If you see any drainage issues near your home, you can report it to the city of Tampa.

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