WELLINGTON, Fla. — The Village of Wellington is urging residents to take precautions ahead of the heavy rain South Florida is expected to get this weekend.
A tropical wave stretching across Cuba and the Bahamas could bring 1 to 3 inches of rain to our area from Friday through Sunday, WPTV meteorologists say.
Because of that, Wellington is asking residents to clear out their storm drains, or check with your HOA to make sure it's clearing out storm drains to prevent flooding.
"I make sure my culvert is cleaned out every year," said Randy Halvorsrod, a homeowner in Little Ranches.
Halvorsrod said in part of the neighborhood, homeowners are responsible for clearing out storm drains and culverts.
On Thursday, crews cleared debris from Pump Station 6 off Acme Rd. in Wellington to make sure it's ready to go this weekend to prevent flooding.
"We're trying to get the water down to a good level where we feel safe if we get a lot of rain," said Richard Hoffman, a maintenance technician.
The South Florida Water Management District started lowering the water levels in canals on Thursday in preparation for this weekend's storms.
"We have swales so most of the property will drain off within a day," added Halvorsrod.
Assistant Village Manager Jim Barnes said if Wellington gets the maximum amount of predicted rainfall, neighborhoods are likely to experience flooding.
"Your lower lying areas, roads, sidewalks, swales will hold water and that's by design," Barnes said, so that homes and buildings are not inundated with water.
The village reminds homeowners to also turn off their sprinklers while it's raining to avoid additional standing water.
Rain is starting to come down in #Wellington. The village is preparing for heavy rain fall this weekend and potential flooding. They are asking homeowners to prepare and check with their HOA’s to make sure storm drains are clear. @WPTV pic.twitter.com/YPOEZlT3Hu
— Michelle Quesada (@M_Quesada) August 1, 2019
