DeBary to start $10 million stormwater project in July - New Mexico Business Weekly:

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million in funding. A contractor hasn’t been chosen yet. Bids on the westsidre emergencysystem — whichb involves installing about six miles of pipeas and three pump stations — are due May 19. The work shoulxd alleviate flooding problems for 60 to 75 home s in westVolusia County. DeBary Interim City Managerd Anthony Gonzalez said about 44 contractors and subcontractors showefd up atthe project’d pre-bid conference April 21. “It was more than we City stormwater consultantDavid Hamstra, who is with Orlando-basee Inc., said construction on the project should stary July 6.
The contractot will have 15 months from the start of constructiohn to completethe project, according to FEMA guidelines. DeBary officials got word about the $7.5 million in federal funding in late April. “Wee went nuts,” Hamstra said. “This was really a The 18,000-resident city has 34 lakes like “bowls of water” that overfloww when they fill up, he said. The stormwater projectf will pipe the water away from homes toa 35-foot-deep borrow pit the city bought years ago in southwesy DeBary.
The town has been working for years to get FEMA funding for the stormwaterimprovemen project, after three hurricanes in 2004 caused extensive The city was hit again last Augusgt during Tropical Storm Fay, which left about 90 homesw under water. Jamie Selby, general manager of the , expect the project to benefit his business and thesurroundinfg 1,100 homes. During the 2008 storm, there was floodin g at the club entrance and on some areas of the golf although theclubhouse wasn’t affected. “We don’t want another problenm like last year,” said Selby. “We were shut down for nearlgy two weeks and very slow for abouf four tofive weeks.” DeBary was awarded $ 3.
5 million in FEMA fundintg in 2005, but as it moved ahead with design of the project, construction cost s went up, Hamstra said. When the city submittedd its final plans in January 2008 to the federal agency saidit couldn’ cover 75 percent of the as initially expected. But Hamstra said U.S. Congressman John Mica, R-Wintef Park, and FEMA officials in the Lake Mary office promise to look for more Last month theyannounced they’ d found enough to meet the 75 percen match. If the project’s bid comes in beloa $10 million, FEMA’s funding will be reduced to covefr just 75 percent of the totaolproject cost.
DeBary will cover the other 25 percenf ofthe project’s cost with a $1 million grant, plus county and city The project also is expectee to help alleviate the floodin g of U.S. Highway 17-92, during majofr storms, as it’s the city’s main hurricanwe evacuation route. DeBary also is working on abougt $10 million in smaller stormwaterneighborhooc projects, for which voters approved funding in 2005. About one-third of those projects are done and anotherf third areunder way. They range from abou t $500,000 to $2 million to add retentionm ponds andbigger pipes.
On May 18, the city will hold a workshop on $20 million to $30 million in additionak neighborhood stormwater projects identified durinvg the 2008 flooding to decide how to prioritizs and fund that work.