Sanford leaders consider plan to improve sewer infrastructure after flooding

SANFORD – Sanford's moving ahead with plans to improve its sewer infrastructure.

On Monday night, city leaders are expected to approve money to cover the design work needed to make necessary improvements that will target vulnerable areas in the historic downtown.

Hurricane Ian sent water out of manholes, flooded portions of the Riverwalk and Seminole Boulevard on the east end of Sanford’s waterfront and sent workers scrambling with vacuum trucks to move water.

“We've spent millions of dollars, we have 300 miles of pipe on the sanitary side and probably that amount on the stormwater side, so we have a lot of responsibility, a lot of resources committed, and now with these recent events, we've had to reprioritize things,“ utility manager Bill Marcous said.

At times when the stormwater systems have been overwhelmed by heavy rains, there's an unintended mingling of sewer water which has backed up into businesses.

A city commission agenda item will now earmark cash for improving the sanitary sewer system downtown, including a new lift station in the plan.