MELBOURNE, Fla. -- During the month of June, if you live in a private homeowner association subdivision in the city of Melbourne, your subdivision may be eligible for free stormwater system inspection.

  • Melbourne encourages preventative measures
  • City inspector to check community conveyance system

The city is offering free stormwater system inspections to encourage preventative maintenance before the first big storm of the season.

An engineering inspector from the city will check outfall structures, ponds and other parts of a private community’s stormwater conveyance system to ensure it is working properly.

However, the existing stormwater conveyance piping will not be inspected. That’s up to the HOA for upkeep. The city says clearing and preventing blockages before a storm are the keys to protecting your home from flooding.

First time homeowner Katie Holley says she’s storm ready and did as much preventative flood maintenance as possible.

''We've got a storm drain in front of our property. Before the storms we make sure there’s nothing in the way and nothing was obstructed,'' said Holley.

Ninety-six-year-old Gordon Parker is also storm ready. He’s lived in the subdivision for about 18 years and says the HOA does a pretty good job at keeping the waterways clear from debris.

Parker also does what he can to prevent flooding in his house by hiring someone to clean the gutters every year.

''The man comes around every year and for $200 he cleans out the drains,'' explained Parker.

Keep in mind, if water stands for more than 72 hours after the rain stops, then you may need to look at how the water drains from your yard.

Holley explains so far that’s not been a problem, but the golf course in her backyard has some trouble spots and she’s concerned about mosquitoes.

For more information and to schedule a free pre-storm inspection with the City of Melbourne, please call the Stormwater Hotline: (321) 608-7341.  

You can also visit the city’s website for flood prevention tips at http://www.melbourneflorida.org/departments/engineering/stormwater-utility/flood-prevention