Prep Work

by Kevin Fritz

As the countdown begins to yet another hurricane season in Central Florida, the City of Longwood’s Engineering and Public Works Department is taking important steps to keep flooding at bay and residents safe.

Shad Smith, public works director, says the city already has several projects and policies in place as the storm season approaches, much of which is part of his team’s daily regimen of repairs and upgrades. 

“The way we approach things has changed,” says Shad. “We are more plugged in with other agencies and are being more proactive in what we do.”

 A Proactive Approach

To that end, the department recently hired Eric Nagowski,  public works engineer; Matthew Hockenberry, streets and stormwater division manager; and Summer Raines, a GIS (geographic information systems) analyst who provides mapping and data, which helps with prioritizing projects.  

“Summer’s mapping helps us identify where and when things need to be repaired,” says Eric.

In addition, the department has become involved with the Seminole County Mitigation Strategy Group, which identifies hazards, prioritizes risk, and establishes goals and objectives. 

And, there is now an opportunity for increased resident interaction. Residents can fill out a request tracker online to alert the Engineering and Public Works Department about any flooding or broken pipes.

Shad’s team has also applied for entry into the Community Rating System, a nationwide voluntary incentive program. Pending approval, residents may be eligible for discounts on flood insurance by the third quarter of this year.

When It Rains, It Pours

Of major concern, especially over the past few years, is the flooding that hurricanes can bring.

“The storm intensity has been more lately,” says Shad. “We are getting high volume in a short time.”

Ongoing projects to reduce flood risks are currently underway at East Lake Avenue and Oak Street due to damage from Hurricane Ian. A new inlet and piping are adding resiliency and improving stormwater drainage in the area. Drainage improvements to prevent flooding at Fire Station 15 on West Warren Avenue are slated for the spring.

Shad says floodproofing lift stations is a high priority, and the department is currently awaiting funds to protect three key lift stations that flood during hurricanes, reducing functionality. His team will add an emergency generator next spring at lift station #15 on Georgia Avenue to keep it working during power outages.

Stormwater improvements will also be addressed on Bennett Drive, where properties flood during normal rainfall. The project will provide an underground collection system conveying water to the already expanded pond at the south end of the UPS distribution center property.

Hurricane Ian also damaged the outfall (the discharge point of a stormwater runoff) on Raven Avenue. A new outfall will include improved slope protection and erosion control.

Protecting Water Quality

Another key area the department continues to focus on is septic-to-sewer conversions to eliminate aging septic systems. This initiative reduces pollutants entering lakes, streams, and groundwater during flooding. The department has converted more than 1,000 septic systems to the city sewer system in the past eight years.

“Septic tank flooding is a health issue,” says Eric. “These conversions help the quality of our water.”

Pipelining is an ongoing initiative by the department to address aging pipes. Instead of replacing the pipes, they are fortified from the inside. The process is more economical and the downtime of road closures is minimized. The city budgets $100,000 a year to pipeline old pipes throughout Longwood.

For hurricane preparedness and beyond, the efforts of Longwood’s Engineering and Public Works Department keep the city – and many things we take for granted every day – up and running.