Sanford flooding triggers community concern

Pricey flood prevention project in Sanford fails

Forecast rain this weekend has some Seminole County residents bracing for more flooding, just days after downtown Sanford streets were inundated despite a costly project meant to prevent it. Video taken earlier this week shows water rushing along First Street in waves during what officials described as a normal downpour.

SANFORD, Fla. - Forecast rain this weekend has some Seminole County residents bracing for more flooding, just days after downtown Sanford streets were inundated.

What we know:

Sanford’s downtown saw flooding earlier this week.

A newly installed lift station, part of a $1 million infrastructure upgrade, was incorrectly wired by a contractor, causing it to malfunction. Heavy rain — several inches in under an hour — overwhelmed the city’s sewage system, sending water rushing down First Street and into some businesses.

What we don't know:

Officials have not said whether the contractor responsible for the wiring mistake will face penalties or bear repair costs. It’s also unclear if additional upgrades or preventive measures will be implemented to ensure future storms don’t cause similar problems. The city hasn’t provided a timeline for fully testing the two lift stations.

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The backstory:

The downtown project, which included two new lift stations, was designed to pump sewage from different areas of the city and send it back to the sewage treatment plant.

Business owners and residents have long complained about water pooling in streets during summer storms. Officials had hoped the upgrades would provide lasting relief, making this week’s flooding a frustrating setback.

What they're saying:

Video taken earlier this week shows water rushing along First Street in waves during what officials described as a normal downpour.

"This water was just rolling right through like waves down the street," said Rosemarie Gedney, who recorded the scene while at a bar downtown. "Why are flood-prone areas still being flooded from a simple rainstorm?"

Mayor Art Woodruff said the culprit was a newly installed lift station — part of a $1 million upgrade that included two such stations — that had been wired incorrectly by a contractor. The malfunction, coupled with several inches of rainfall in less than an hour, overloaded the city’s sewage system.

"All of us are disappointed that what we thought was going to fix the problem, it failed in a sense," Woodruff said.

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Hollerbach’s German Restaurant on East First Street narrowly avoided flooding as employees pumped out water.

City officials told FOX 35 that due to the issue with the wiring, the pumps did not come on when they should have.

Brewlando Brewing Company on Sanford Avenue also took on water, but for a different reason. The contractor had not finished leveling the ground and paving the alleyway. As a result, the rain caused water to collect in the area and then overflow. City officials told FOX 35 that the area is now leveled and paved, so this should not happen again.

"Downtown Sanford, that shouldn’t happen," Gedney said.

Woodruff called the incident a "learning experience" and said both problem sites have been addressed.

Editor's note: This article has been updated since it was initially published.