FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Fort Lauderdale has completed a critical pump project aimed at fighting flooding in two low-lying neighborhoods.
City officials assert that the updated stormwater systems will help protect properties during future storms in the River Oaks and Edgewood neighborhoods.
The city celebrated the inauguration of a new pump system Friday, marking the latest effort to enhance infrastructure and mitigate the impacts of climate change.
This project, which comes in the wake of the devastating 2023 floods, includes two pump stations equipped with a total of six pumps, some boasting up to 136 horsepower.
Mayor Dean Trantalis acknowledged that many neighborhoods in Fort Lauderdale were initially developed without adequate infrastructure.
“We should have started this years ago, but it’s happening today,” Trantalis said.
Delivered ahead of schedule, the new pumps were completed after approximately 18 months of construction at a cost exceeding $10 million.
They are part of a broader investment exceeding $50 million in new stormwater systems.
“By investing in projects like the River Oaks Pump Station, we are taking proactive steps to protect our community from flooding and sea level rise,” Trantalis said.
The new pumps were introduced in response to the historic 2023 flooding, which brought over 25 inches of rain in about two hours, particularly affecting the Edgewood and River Oaks neighborhoods.
This resulted in hundreds of homes being flooded, residents trapped and over more than a billion dollars in damages.
Community representatives attended the ribbon-cutting event on Friday.
“It’s not if, it’s when, and it’s hard to kind of plan and to live your life without constantly being on edge,” Katie McGowen, the president of the Edgewood community, said. “There’s a lot of us who are still digging out, who are still putting things together.”
Ted Inserra, a River Oaks resident, added, “As proven in April and June, Mother Nature just can’t handle what we’re getting right now.”
This initiative is part of the “Fortify Lauderdale” Project, which aims to make the city more resilient to extreme weather events.