TAMPA, Fla. (WFTS) — As the 2025 hurricane season approaches, Rob Seal is still grappling with the aftermath of Hurricane Milton, which devastated his home and the surrounding community six months ago.
Seal’s life was turned upside down when Hurricane Milton unleashed a torrent of rain that overwhelmed the local infrastructure, causing a pump station failure at Curiosity Creek.
For Seal and his family, what once felt like a "little piece of heaven" in their Forest Hills home became a flooded nightmare.
"We were tickled with our home," Seal recalled. "We created this beautiful game room and often expressed how fortunate we were to have it. Then, Hurricane Milton happened, and those floodwaters ended up inside our home."
Today, as repair work progresses in the aftermath of the hurricane, Seal is cautiously optimistic.
"Our permitting finally came in, the plumbing is done, and electrical is next," he said. "Good stuff is starting to happen, but it's just taking time. It is tough."
Mayor Jane Castor recently unveiled a new vulnerability assessment from the City of Tampa. This assessment was completed in 2025 and funded through the Resilient Florida program in compliance with Florida state statute 380.093.
"The research found that the number one issue impacting our community now and in the future is these historic rain events," she stated.
The report emphasizes that Tampa's infrastructure was not designed to withstand the extreme rainfall levels experienced during the storm when over 13 inches of rain fell in a mere 24 hours.
"This confirmed one of our assessments: extreme rainfall is the most frequent and consistent flood risk our city will face in the coming decades," said Kayla Caselli, Tampa’s Sustainability Officer.
The city is currently investing approximately $94 million into upgrading the 18th Street pumping station, which will involve raising the pumps to mitigate the impact of heavy rain and prevent wastewater spills into the community. This project is part of a broader initiative initiated by the administration in 2019, known as the $3 billion Pipes Plan, aimed at replacing aging water and wastewater infrastructure throughout Tampa. According to Mayor Castor, the 18th Street station is one of 28 out of 228 pumping stations across the city scheduled for upgrades.
Kayla Caselli, the city’s sustainability and resiliency officer, elaborated on the vulnerability assessment's findings, which evaluated risks to city-owned infrastructure from flooding caused by sea-level rise, extreme rainfall, and storm surge through the year 2070.
She highlighted that while Tampa’s elevation mitigates some risk, the combined effects of storm surge and intense rainfall could exacerbate flooding, particularly in low-lying coastal neighborhoods.
“Last fall, Hurricane Helene brought eight feet of storm surge, overwhelming several neighborhoods,” Caselli stated, emphasizing the need for strategic investment in infrastructure. She noted that neighborhoods such as Palmetto Beach, Bayshore Boulevard, Sunset Park, and areas in South Tampa face increased flood risks.
The assessment also revealed that extreme rainfall is becoming the most frequent flood threat, affecting not only coastal but also inland neighborhoods.
“Closed inland basins in our region complicate drainage and lead to water buildup during storms,” she explained, highlighting the challenges posed by outdated natural features that historically managed water absorption.
During the discussion, Eric Garwell, the wastewater treatment plant manager, reported that many pumping stations across Tampa were constructed more than 40 years ago and lacked adequate flood protection. He outlined measures being taken to elevate all electrical equipment above the 100-year floodplain to enhance resilience against future flooding.
With the hurricane season approaching, officials recognize the urgency of these upgrades.
“We are working diligently to make these improvements as quickly as possible,” Mayor Castor assured attendees, reinforcing the administration’s commitment to addressing infrastructure vulnerabilities and enhancing community safety.
As the city continues to evaluate its flood management strategies, Caselli announced that a watershed master plan is being developed to better understand water flow across Tampa. The city will leverage grant programs to secure additional funding, having already obtained over $35 million for resilience projects in recent years.
On Wednesday, crews were spotted inspecting the Curiosity Creek pump station, where enhancements are also planned.
Despite recent city assurances regarding upgrades to flood management systems, Seal remains critical.
"It feels better that it's been brought to light, but I would have appreciated some reactive measures even after Milton. When the floodwaters rose, all they needed to do was get the pumps running, and the water would have receded," he said.
Seal showed us the infrastructure already in place to help his neighborhood, situated directly behind his house.
That includes a large pump, newly designed ditches, and green space intended to absorb stormwater.
"It's always made us feel secure because it's always been a big stormwater ditch," he noted.
At Curiosity Creek, the city added manual fail-safes as a second option in case primary systems fail again.
"I understand we faced two powerful hurricanes just nine days apart. If all the preventative steps had been taken prior, I don’t think we’d be discussing this."
Despite his frustration, Seal expressed appreciation for the city's proactive measures now being implemented.
"It didn’t happen in 34 years. It happened once. I pray it stays that way and that all the actions we discussed will prevent it from happening again," he said.
Despite the challenges, Seal and his family have chosen to stay in their home.
"We've raised two kids here. We've built our life here. I have to trust that the city will take the necessary steps to prevent this from happening again," he explained. "I don't want to leave. It’s our home."
As the hurricane season looms, Seal acknowledges his heightened anxiety.
"Will I be nervous? Absolutely. We lost both our cars to the flooding, and I’ll be taking steps to prepare, like relocating our vehicles. But if the water comes, it will come," he said, resigned but determined to make the best of their situation.
"If there had just been a trooper up there, maybe this whole thing could have been avoided."
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