Ormond Beach builds $16M pump station to combat flooding, protect homes

Ormond Beach builds pump station to combat flooding

To curb repeated flooding in storm-prone neighborhoods, the City of Ormond Beach is constructing a new $16 million pump station capable of draining the equivalent of three Olympic-sized swimming pools in just minutes.

ORMOND BEACH, Fla. - To curb repeated flooding in storm-prone neighborhoods, the City of Ormond Beach is constructing a new $16 million pump station capable of draining the equivalent of three Olympic-sized swimming pools in just minutes.

What we know:

The City of Ormond Beach is building a $16 million pump station designed to dramatically improve its flood control capabilities. 

Once complete, the new system will be able to drain retention ponds within 12 hours and remove stormwater from the lake system before storms hit, redirecting it to the Halifax River. 

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The station is expected to protect hundreds of homes, particularly in flood-prone neighborhoods along the Fleming Avenue corridor.

What we don't know:

City officials are still waiting for a response on a $9.4 million FEMA grant application that would help fund the project. It’s also unclear how much of the remaining cost will ultimately fall to the city’s stormwater fund. While officials are confident in the design, the real test will come during the next major storm event.

The backstory:

Flooding has long plagued neighborhoods in Ormond Beach, particularly after powerful storms like Hurricane Milton in October 2024. 

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Residents shared images from that event showing driveways submerged and lawns under water, reinforcing the urgent need for a robust mitigation system. While the city already operates a pump station in another part of town, that infrastructure proved insufficient during major weather events.

Local perspective:

With stronger and more frequent hurricanes, local governments are investing heavily in preemptive infrastructure. Residents say they’re hopeful the improvements will finally provide lasting relief.

What they're saying:

Residents who have experienced repeated flooding say they're cautiously optimistic.

"All the lakes are connected, and the city does pump them, but with the storm water, it wasn’t enough," one homeowner, Kit Christiansen, said. "But if it helps in the end, yeah, that’s great thing. I know they’re spending lots of money to help us out. So we are hanging in there with them."

What's next:

The city is still awaiting a response on a $9.4 million FEMA grant request. Any remaining costs will likely be covered through the city’s stormwater fund.

Construction is expected to continue over the next two years, with project completion slated for 2027.