PORT ORANGE — For Kevin Stevenson, a resident of the city’s Sleepy Hollow subdivision, an unwelcome ritual was unfolding again in the wake of daily rainstorms that have generated ankle-deep flooding inside the home he shares with his wife, Tina, and two children.
Stevenson, 49, and his son Jameson, 3, were out in the family’s driveway on Tuesday morning, Sept. 9, using a shop vac to make sure his personal drainage system on the property was emptied out ahead of more storms expected later that day.
“It has been intense,” Stevenson said of a week that started with ankle-deep water intrusion into the house in the wake of heavy rains on Sunday.
A day later, another round of storms also sent flood waters to the couple’s front door, due to a city drain on the street outside that was unable to handle the water.
“That drain overflowed catastrophically,” Stevenson said. “The water was just swirling around the top, not going anywhere. It looked like one of those spinner rims that you see sometimes on those big trucks on the road.”
The Stevensons moved into the house in April 2024 and first experienced flooding issues when Hurricane Milton resulted in knee-deep water in the house on the occasion of Jameson’s third birthday.
“Now, when it rains, he asks us, ‘Are we getting another water home?’” Stevenson said.
Everyone in the family has been traumatized by the issue, he said.
“This week, we’re talking about really a simple storm, and we’re being intensely flooded,” he said. “These drains aren’t working. I want something done about this.”
In response to this week’s flooding, the City of Port Orange offered the following statement to media, pointing out that the city on Sunday experienced “a relatively short but very intense” storm that coincided with a full moon and a high tide.
“City gauges recorded 4.23 inches of rainfall, with 3.88 inches falling within one hour,” the city stated. “The storm caused temporary ponding and some road closures, which generally cleared within one to two hours after the heavy rains stopped.
“The City’s focus is on keeping stormwater out of structures and based on initial reports a limited number were affected.”
The statement added that the city’s stormwater team conducts regular maintenance of ditches, pipes and storm drains throughout the year. Such measures keep a particular focus on older neighborhoods built before modern drainage standards that better withstand potential flooding rains.
“Residents are encouraged to keep storm drains near their homes free of debris and to report concerns through SeeClickFix.”
Additionally, the city has also completed a stormwater master plan and vulnerability assessment to better identify and address flood-prone areas, according to the statement.
“Earlier this year, Port Orange secured state funding for projects, including $3 million for the Sugar Forest drainage improvements. Grant applications are pending for several other projects in the most vulnerable areas including Sleepy Hollow, Portona, and more.”
City crews have conducted monthly cleanings of storm drain tops in the Sleepy Hollow neighborhood throughout this year, beginning in January, the city stated.
“In March, the City used its Vactor truck to clean the entire neighborhood by clearing debris from pipes and inlets. One stormwater ditch in the area was cleaned at the end of July. The second ditch was cleaned in August 2024 and is scheduled for cleaning again later this month.”
For Stevenson, the relief can’t come soon enough.
“It still hasn’t been fixed,” he said. “Where is the money going?”
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: ‘Where is the money going?’: Port Orange neighborhood battles flooding amid daily rain
Reporting by Jim Abbott, Daytona Beach News-Journal / The Daytona Beach News-Journal
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