TAMPA, Fla. — When it rains, it really pours in Stephanie Simpson’s neighborhood.
“If it’s more than a half hour of downpour, we’re flooded,” she said.
She lives on Treasure Circle in South Tampa. Heavy rains can turn her street into a lake.
WATCH: Tampa neighbors prepare for flooding caused by heavy rain
“When there is a lot of rain at once, we flood pretty much immediately within 15 minutes, even to the point where the road is gone on this corner of our block,” said Simpson.
It’s an issue she’s even taken into her own hands.
“I finally just said you know what, I’m going to pay out of pocket and build an open French drain that’s going to assist the water to move a lot quicker because before I had it, these stormwaters of rainfall only would stay flooded about 1-3 days, and now it does not,” Simpson said.
Local leaders have acknowledged the threat extreme rain can pose to the area.
“Many would guess or thought that hurricanes would be our biggest vulnerability, but it’s not. It is extreme rain events,” said Mayor Jane Castor.
During a press conference last week, Tampa leaders said they’re doing everything they can to be as ready as possible for this year’s storm season.
“We have our stormwater maintenance group that has continued year-round to maintain our stormwater drains, our ditches, our pipes, all of those resources to get the water out as quickly as we can, and now as we’re into storm season, we have an all-hands on deck,” said Castor. “Not only our stormwater personnel, but also two contractors that we’ve hired, and we’re using our wastewater, water, parks and recreation, our neighborhood enhancement, any group that can go out and ensure that everything is clean and remains clean through the stormwater season.”
Officials want people to understand however if there’s enough rain in a short enough period of time, flooding will happen.
“We’re also asking the community to be involved too. Pay attention to the stormwater drains in your neighborhood,” said Castor. “If you see the lawn services blowing all of those leaves and debris into the storm drain, that causes clogs and disruptions in the service.”
