VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. – Volusia County is on track to run out of money for stormwater projects by 2030.
County staff flagged the funding shortfall this week, warning that stormwater utility fees won’t generate enough revenue to cover planned drainage and flood-control projects. Routine maintenance could also take a hit. Officials say they want to get ahead of the problem now, before it grows worse.
Several large, multi-year projects are moving from the planning phase into construction, meaning the county will need sustained funding over the next several years — on top of any new problems that could emerge from future storms. One option on the table: raising stormwater impact fees.
That potential fee hike is a tough pill to swallow for residents who say they’ve watched flooding get worse for years. JC Figueredo, who lives near DeLand, says his property has flooded repeatedly — and not just during major storms.
“It’s really frustrating. You’ve seen the writing on the wall with this for ten years. Once all this development started we just saw a major increase in flooding,” said JC Figueredo.
His property flooded during Hurricane Milton in 2024. He says lesser storms now bring water to his land as well.
“It’s horrible. I don’t see any light at the end of the tunnel for any of our flooding problems,” said Figueredo.
Figueredo says he’s been hoping the county would launch a project to bring relief to his area. News of the budget shortfall only added to his frustration.
“That’s pretty insane considering all the money that’s been given to them by the state to handle projects like this,” said Figueredo.
County Councilman David Santiago acknowledged the gap between what’s available and what’s needed — particularly with multiple studies currently underway to identify additional projects.
“Right now we have $150 million set aside and it may cost more, we’ll know as the projects come along and then we’ll have to find out how to fund those projects,” said Santiago.
The county raised stormwater impact fees by $1.50 two years ago. Another increase may be coming.
“It would possibly be that we have to transfer funds that we can utilize for stormwater projects and cutting in other areas or it could be are the fees that we’re charging for stormwater, are they reasonable?,” said Santiago.
No official date has been set for a final decision on how to address the shortfall. However, the issue is expected to come up again at an upcoming Volusia County Council meeting.