St. Pete to spend $7 million on sewage facilities after 2024 storms forced shutdowns due to flooding
St. Pete’s investment in wastewater treatment
FOX 13’s Genevieve Curtis reports on the City of St. Petersburg investing millions of dollars in its wastewater treatment facilities after Hurricanes Helene and Milton caused mass flooding and forced the city to close its facilities.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The City of St. Petersburg will spend $7 million to upgrade two sewer treatment facilities to improve their ability to handle disasters after both facilities had to be shut down during the 2024 hurricane season.
Flooding in St. Pete after 2024 hurricanes.
The Maximo Moorings neighborhood in South St. Pete flooded during Hurricanes Helene and Milton, and the city shut down the Southwest Wastewater Treatment Facility. Much of the flood water in the area contained sewage.
What they're saying:
"It was pretty brown," said Kris Johnson, who lives in the area and rode out both hurricanes.
Many homeowners blame the flooding on the facility.
Sewer treatment facility in St. Pete.
"I know a lot of people around here that had flooding, you know, one to two feet inside their homes. Especially Maximo, which is down closer to the treatment plant," said Johnson.
RELATED: Tampa leaders approve $3.2M in funding to help homeowners recover from hurricanes
The city council approved $3.5 million to add flood protection and other resiliency measures.
Dig deeper:
The city said, "Because of its location, sea level rise and storm surge could significantly impact the operation and long-term functionality of the facility."
The city council signed off on the same amount for the Northeast Treatment Facility, which leaked a million gallons after Helene.
The city had to cut power to facilities for both hurricanes.
Why you should care:
The additional resiliency funding is part of the city’s initiative to improve critical infrastructure in the face of disasters and climate challenges.
RELATED: State legislature proposes prioritizing Florida’s aging infrastructure after flooding from storms
Johnson said hurricanes will only continue, and it's better to be prepared than to believe subsequent storms won’t cause the same impact.
Sewer treatment facility in St. Pete.
"Anytime they can make an upgrade, whether it's electric, whether it's sewage, that's a positive thing for the neighborhood. I’m super happy to be here, and the more they can make it better, the better it is for me," said Johnson.
The northeast facility was already undergoing a $70 million improvement project, but the city's investigations after the hurricanes led to this additional funding.
The Source: FOX 13's Genevieve Curtis collected the information in this story.
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