As hurricane season approaches, work is being done in Pasco County to help alleviate some of its major flooding issues.

  • Ironbark Road in Port Richey hit hard last year
  • County spends $136,000 for pumps, piping
  • Residents keeping fingers crossed that it works

One area in particular off Ironbark Road in Port Richey was flooding from heavy rains last year before Hurricane Hermine even hit.

"Last year the water was all the way up to the garage door and we had to evacuate for three days," said resident Mary Lewis. Lewis, along with her neighbors that surround a retention pond, were up to their knees in water last August. It's been happening for the past few years.

"So the emphasis is just trying to help people stay in their homes. They shouldn't have to go through this every time we have a storm coming in," said Commissioner Jack Mariano. Last year, trucks pumped and hauled water out of the area for more than a week.

But Mariano says he hopes it's not going to happen anymore. With a $136,000 recently completed project, the county installed two pumps and piping in the ground. The pipes run less than a quarter mile up a small hill where the water will be pumped into a county field.

"Now we can pump all the water that comes in through here ahead of the storm, pump it up to that pond, and now it can actually dry out and the people here don't have to worry about being flooded," said Mariano.

The pumps were installed last week. Residents say they can only pray it works.

"We got to wait and see, I mean the true test is going to be if we have another rain storm here and see how fast it empties out," said Lewis.

The county says it waited for the dry season to do the work before rainy season.

It is working with Southwest Florida Water Management District to study the area to see if further improvements need to be made.