As residents in the University area find relief, the floodwaters that had inundated their streets and homes have finally receded. Hurricane Milton, which impacted West-Central Florida last week, caused significant damage, partly due to a power outage that disrupted Hillsborough County's stormwater management system, according to Hillsborough County officials.
In the early hours of last Thursday, the Duck Pond pump station—a key element of the county's flood mitigation strategy, capable of moving 50 to 90 cubic feet of water per second—lost power. According to Hillsborough County, this outage coincided with Hurricane Milton's heavy rainfall, which reached approximately 10.7 inches. The timing of the outage hindered efforts to manage rising water levels, leading to flooding in the neighborhood.
Power was restored around 10 a.m. last Friday, allowing the pumps to begin removing the floodwaters. The inundation that had disrupted daily life was being reduced at a rate of 1.1 inches per hour. The continuously running pumps have effectively lowered water levels.
Hillsborough County has confirmed that the pumps will continue operating to fully address the area's flooding issues. While recovery from such disasters is not immediate, the restoration of power to the Duck Pond pump station allows for progress in addressing the situation.
