Hillsborough County commissioners have approved $70 million in stormwater and infrastructure improvements as part of the county’s “Rebuilding For Tomorrow” campaign, aimed at reducing flood risk after a 2024 hurricane season that inundated neighborhoods across the region.

The funding comes from a larger federal disaster recovery grant and will support projects in communities including Seffner, the University area, and Town ‘n’ Country. Planned improvements include cleaning and restoring drainage systems, regional stormwater upgrades, and installing backup generators for 171 wastewater lift stations.

A portion of the funds will go toward constructing a permanent stormwater pump station in Seffner, one of the hardest-hit areas during Hurricane Milton. Residents there say a small 15-acre lake overflowed during the storm, flooding more than 20 homes and trapping dozens of others. Temporary pumps were installed in the days after the storm, but some residents say it took weeks for floodwaters to fully recede.

Longtime Shangri-La neighborhood resident Kevin Cash said the flooding was unlike anything the area had experienced before. Cash also noted the need for better planning as development continues, saying the county needs to figure out how to manage stormwater if it keeps building.

County officials say most of the approved projects will move into the design phase by this summer. Any remaining funds will go toward programs assisting homeowners still recovering from hurricane damage.

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