Some counties and cities across the Tampa Bay area opened up free sandbag sites to help residents prepare for possible severe weather Tuesday.
City of Clearwater
Starting Tuesday, City of Clearwater staff will provide some sandbags at Joe DiMaggio Park and the lot north of Clearwater Beach Recreation Complex, but residents should bring their own shovels or a way to load them.
Crews will monitor the piles but will not be filling bags at that point.
City of Dunedin
Sandbags will be available at the City of Dunedin Highlander Park parking lot, 903 Michigan Blvd, on Tuesday from 8 a.m. until noon.
The sandbag site is available to residents and business owners with proof of residency, such as a driver's license or recent utility bill.
There is a limit of 15 bags per resident or business owner.
Sand, sandbags, and shovels are available at the site. Assistance will be provided for those with special needs.
Tips on how to properly fill and stack your sandbags:
- Fill bags one-half to two-thirds of the way full
- Over-filled bags will result in a leaky sandbag wall
- Stack sandbags so that the seams between the bags are staggered
- Tuck the top of each bag under to ensure that that bag is sealed by its own weight
City of Gulfport
The City of Gulfport sandbag distribution location at the 49th Street Neighborhood Center, 1617 49th Street South, is now closed.
City of New Port Richey
Sandbag operations for the City of New Port Richey were open for residents only Monday from 7 a.m. until 4 p.m. at 6420 Pine Hill Rd.
City of Oldsmar
A sandbag station will be available starting Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the City Hall east lot, 100 State Street West. It is a self-fill station.
There is a limit of 10 bags per address. Residents must bring proof of ID.
City of St. Petersburg
The sites listed below will be open Tuesday until 6 p.m.
- Stormwater Pavement Traffic Opps HQ, 1744 9th Ave. N
Additionally, City crews are delivering sandbags door-to-door in Shore Acres and Riviera Bay neighborhoods.
Hernando County
A sandbag location is open at Linda Pedersen Park, 6400 Shoal Line Blvd, Spring Hill, until 5 p.m. Monday and from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. Tuesday, weather permitting. Bring your own shovel.
Manatee County
Self-service locations with bags and sand will include Manatee Beach (4000 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach), Coquina Beach (1465 Gulf Drive South, Bradenton Beach), the Manatee County Utilities Building (4700 66th Street West, Bradenton), and the Rubonia Community Center (1309 72nd Street East, Palmetto). You must bring your own shovel.
Manatee County Code Enforcement Department staff is also making sandbags available to Rubonia citizens door-to-door. If you or someone you know has physical limitations and lives in an area that was affected by either Tropical Storm Idalia or last month’s flooding, please feel free to reach out to Manatee 3-1-1 for assistance.
For a map of sandbag locations, visit here.
Pasco County
Two sandbag stations are available 24/7 to help protect property in low-lying areas from potential flooding.
- Magnolia Valley Golf Course, 7223 Massachusetts Avenue, New Port Richey
- Pasco County Public Works (C-Barn), 30908 Warder Road, San Antonio
Due to the potential for coastal flooding, we’re also opening an additional location on the west side of the county. Another sandbag site will be open on the west side of the county from sunrise to sunset, Monday through Tuesday.
Veterans Memorial Park, 14333 Hicks Road, Hudson
All sandbag locations are self-serve and open to Pasco County residents. Sand and sandbags will be restocked daily, weather permitting. Bring a shovel and be prepared to fill your own sandbags.
