St. Petersburg’s leaders are moving to protect the city’s families and neighborhoods from the devastating floods that struck in 2024. The City Council is set to place a $600 million General Obligation bond measure on the Nov. 3 ballot, a step that would fund critical storm‑water, drinking‑water and wastewater infrastructure projects five years ahead of schedule.
Why the bond is needed
During the 2024 hurricane season, between 10,000 and 15,000 homes and countless businesses were inundated after 20 inches of rain and a seven‑foot surge. Damage estimates topped $2 billion, with $1.3‑$1.5 billion affecting residential properties. Shore Acres, a large neighborhood of roughly 2,700 homes, bore the brunt of the disaster, with about 2,200 homes flooded and water levels reaching four feet in some houses.
Beyond the hurricanes, the city faces “sunny‑day” flooding from sea‑level rise and king tides. The low‑lying topography of Shore Acres and other areas, such as the bowl‑shaped basin around Emerald Lake in North Kenwood, makes conventional gravity drainage ineffective as tide levels climb.
Planned projects and funding
The bond would finance three categories of improvements:
- Storm‑water mitigation (≈42% of bond proceeds): upsizing pipes and culverts, expanding canal capacity, elevating roads, adding water‑collection storage, installing backflow preventers, and building new pump stations. The plan also includes natural solutions like living shorelines, “sponge parks,” and other blue‑green infrastructure.
- Drinking‑water upgrades (≈16%): replacement of corroded pipelines, new pipeline construction, and enhanced interconnections to protect the water supply from contamination during severe weather.
- Wastewater improvements (≈42%): larger pipes, reduced inflow and infiltration, upgraded lift stations, wet‑weather express sewers, elevated plant equipment, flood barriers, emergency power upgrades, and emergency sewage storage.
These projects are part of the city’s St. Pete Agile Resilience (SPAR) plan, a flexible framework that allows the city to adjust projects as conditions change and lessons are learned.
Key infrastructure projects already underway
The city recently secured a $2 million state grant for a new pump station on Denver Street, a $25 million project slated for completion in 2028. This will help drain stormwater into the bay after surges, though it will not stop surge‑related flooding itself.
Another pump station, the $32 million Connecticut Avenue Station, was approved last December and is expected to break ground in spring 2027. Public Works Administrator Claude Tankersley said the station will be capable of moving the equivalent of four Olympic‑size swimming pools (100,000 gallons) per minute once operational. Two additional stations are planned for the Arizona Avenue corridor and near the Shore Acres Recreation Center.
Economic and community benefits
Investing in flood control aligns with proven cost‑benefit analyses. The National Institute of Building Sciences reports that every $1 spent on hazard mitigation saves roughly $6 in future disaster losses. By reducing flood damage, the bond would help preserve property values, lower insurance premiums, keep local businesses open, and protect jobs for hundreds of thousands of residents.
Shore Acres residents have shown resilience, caring for one another as they rebuild. Faster, more effective flood‑control measures will reinforce that community spirit and ensure that future storms cause less disruption to daily life.
What voters need to know
If approved, the General Obligation bonds will give the city the financial capacity to deliver SPAR projects well before the original 2027‑2050 timeline, without raising utility rates. Voters will be asked to consider the long‑term safety and economic stability of their neighborhoods, especially those most vulnerable to flooding.
The bond measure will appear on the November 3 ballot. City officials encourage residents to review the detailed project list and consider the lasting benefits of protecting families, homes, and the local economy from the increasing threats of extreme weather.
Original reporting: St. Pete Catalyst — read the source article.
