EDGEWATER, Fla. — Edgewater held its first city council meeting since Hurricane Milton struck Central Florida, almost two weeks after the storm caused many residents’ homes to flood.

Residents there have been dealing with ongoing flooding issues since September, following heavy rains and the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.

Edgewater residents are once again calling on the city to establish concrete flood mitigation measures to address flooding in their city.

What You Need To Know

  • The City of Edgewater’s Interim City Manager Jeffrey Thurman introduced a stormwater mitigation initiative to address flooding concerns and drainage problems

  • The city stated it is collaborating with consultants and engineers on updating its stormwater master plan to identify the city’s stormwater management needs

  • This was the first city council meeting held in Edgewater since Hurricane Milton left multiple residences there underwater

  • Residents calling for concrete action from city officials on how to manage flooding issues once and for all

Edgewater resident Donna McDavid feels like she simply cannot catch a break. This is the third time her Edgewater home has flooded since moving in three and a half years ago.

Her home flooded first during hurricanes Ian and Nicole and was hit a third time during Hurricane Milton.

“I don’t know if I’ll be able to stay. I don’t know what to do,” says McDavid.

McDavid says the difference this time is that the flooding of her home following Hurricane Milton could have been prevented.

“If the pumps had been used ahead of time and had continuously been used, that myself and my neighbors would not have flooded,” explains McDavid.

She blames the city engineer for shutting off the two dewatering pumps that were located west of Duck Pond and on Riverside Drive right before Milton struck.

The two ponds facing her home drain into Duck Pond, which she says has no outflow to the Indian River.

“Our outflow drain from this wet pond that connects it to Duck Pond is in that corner. You cannot even see the drain at this point,” she said, pointing to the wet pond located across the street from her house.

As a result, she says more than 4 inches of floodwater flowed into her home, and she was forced to remove all the carpets and baseboards for a second time. 

Given the repairs she has had to pay for following hurricanes Ian and Nicole, she says she feels as though she’s paid for her house twice already in the span of three years.

“It’s robbed my savings that I’ve had to take care of my disabled son whenever I’m gone,” says McDavid, who lives at home with her 25-year-old disabled son and mother.

Spectrum News 13 reached out to Randy Coslow for comment and has not heard back yet.

To help residents like McDavid, Edgewater’s Interim City Manager Jeffrey Thurman introduced a stormwater mitigation initiative to address flooding and drainage concerns to residents during Monday’s city council meeting.

“We need to triage what can be fixed now through maintenance but also look at the long-range goals of capital improvement projects that address not only water quantity but water quality,” explains Thurman.

He also says the city is working in tandem with consultants and engineers on its stormwater master plan to identify the city’s stormwater management needs. 

Even though residents applauded certain city officials’ involvement in storm preparations prior to Hurricane Milton, they say they want city officials to maintain this momentum until these problems are resolved.