Recently, construction crews will begin working on reducing the severity of floods in the
Orlo Vista neighborhood. Work crews have started mobilizing resources and delivering
materials in preparation for beginning the long overdue project. The work being done
is adjacent to the Oak Crest Mobile Home Park and Westside Manor neighborhoods.
Torrential rain from Hurricane Irma in 2017 caused significant flooding in the area, and
similar flooding occurred last year as Hurricane Ian brought historic levels of rain.
The project scope includes excavating and reshaping three existing stormwater ponds to
increase flood mitigation volume. A new 48” force main will move the water out of the area
and into Shingle Creek.
“This project will increase the volume capacity of all three neighboring ponds and will
ultimately improve the level of service being provided to the Orlo Vista neighborhood.”
according to Liliana Ramirez, Assistant Project Manager, Orange County Public Works
Stormwater Management Division.
In a recent March 2023 meeting, residents in the neighborhood heard from Orange County leaders and engineers regarding the plans to solve flooding problems in the area. The $23.5 million dollar project includes adding new pumps, Installing pipes between ponds, and deepening ponds to control water levels.
A new pump station at Shingle Creek, connecting the ponds, will allow the county to control water levels. Funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Housing and Urban Development has helped bring this project to reality. Coordination among local, state, and federal agencies is expected throughout the project. Project engineers expect the project will take 15 months to complete project near the summer of 2024.