ORMOND BEACH, Fla. – A major water project in Ormond Beach aims to ease flooding in one of the city’s most vulnerable neighborhoods.
The city is building a new pump station near Central Park off Fleming Avenue, which officials say will help protect 500 to 600 homes in the area. Construction on the pump station has already begun, but the project now faces a funding challenge.
The total cost is estimated at about $16 million, and the city currently has roughly half of that amount. Officials say they need an additional $9 million and are seeking assistance from FEMA to cover the remaining costs.
Jane Heiser, who lives on Trina Street near Fleming Avenue, has experienced severe flooding around her home after hurricanes.
“If it works, it’ll be very nice,” she said.
Heiser and her neighbors are hopeful the city completes the pump station before another major storm hits.
“They started construction last year and it took almost a year to complete the first block near Central Park,” Heiser said.
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The new pump station is designed to pump water equivalent to three Olympic-size swimming pools every minute. Before storms, it will drain lakes in Central Park into the Halifax River, creating space for floodwaters.
Some residents question why the city began the project without securing full funding.
“Why start the project if you don’t have the money?” Heiser asked.
Mayor Jason Leslie assured the community the project will be completed.
“I think we feel pretty good this funding will come in, but if for any reason something were to happen, we’re already exploring outside resources to get the funding available,” Leslie said.
The project is being completed in phases, and the timeline depends on when the additional funding arrives. Leslie said the pump station will help protect at least 500 homes in the community.
If the city receives the FEMA funding, officials estimate the project will be finished by early 2027.