Beaches were ordered to close down after tropical disturbance produced nearly a foot of rain in South Florida leading to waterlogging, sewage overflows and flooding. Flooding was reported in Miami-Dade County last week after it received heavy rains.
Drivers in Miami were asked to exercise caution and people were asked to remain indoors due to the storm.
The flooding, however, led to disruption of normal life as cars stuck in the water were towed out into drier areas. This also led to elevated groundwater levels following which sewers overflowed and manholes popped by themselves.
People were also urged to not open manhole lids as it would further stress the sewage system. Miami Dade’s wastewater treatment plan reported continuous flows of more than 310 million gallons of sewage and rainwater. It is permitted to receive an annual average daily flow of 143 million gallons of wastewater.
The Florida Department Of Health will collect samples in the coming days to see if the water is safe for recreational use. It will require two consecutive days of safe readings from the department before the waters are allowed to be used for recreational use.
The issue that concerns citizens of Miami and Florida is that their streets are flooded after receiving only a foot of rainfall.
According to an organization Environment Florida, in 2017 over 28 million gallons of wastewater spilled into waterways, neighborhoods and areas which were not expected to experience these issues. The organization then said that it is equivalent to every person in the city of Miami flushing their toilet 38 times, news website The New York Post reported.
Miami Beach mayor Dan Gelber also said that the rain and the subsequent floods tested the system of drainage pumps in the city which have been recently installed.
Hialeah, another suburb of Miami, has not yet been able to replace its obsolete sewer system. Officials who anonymously spoke to The Miami Herald said they fear reprisals if they highlight the issue to their seniors at the Hialeah Department of Public Works.
The Miami Herald report also said that more than 100 leaking sewage and water pipes are currently in operation and almost all of the pipes in the sewer system are expected to last for 30-40 years but are being used for more than 50 years now.
“We only do emergencies, not maintenance,” an official told the Miami Herald.
(with inputs from New York Post, Miami Herald and Associated Press)
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