Miami-Dade County responds to heavy rain, recommends safety measures for all residents

As South Florida faces the third continuous day of heavy rain causing urban flooding in main streets, Miami-Dade County teams have been working hard to prepare for the extra rainfall and urge all our residents to be vigilant and exercise a high level of caution.    

 "Miami-Dade County is at the forefront of sea level rise and we are committed to doing everything possible to prevent flooding and keep our community safe,” said Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. “That’s why our County teams are always ready to prepare our infrastructure and deploy our crews to protect our residents and visitors – and why we are working so hard to prioritize resilience at all levels to build a future-ready Miami-Dade.” 

Since Monday, Miami-Dade County has taken the following steps to prepare our infrastructure and help reduce flooding in hot spots, focusing on known issue areas where we can anticipate flooding may occur: 

 The Water and Sewer Department (WASD) is working to protect critical infrastructure and ensure operations by:  

• installing temporary dams around pump stations in vulnerable areas; 
• draining the wastewater system – where possible – to maximize storage capacity; 
• increasing staffing at all wastewater treatment plants to manage heavier flows; 
• temporarily pausing work on current upgrade projects during inclement weather to ensure an increased flow capacity within the wastewater system to accommodate the heavy rains 
• and, preparing vacuum trucks to deploy as needed. 

 The Miami-Dade Department of Transportation and Public Works (DTPW):  

• inspects and removes debris, especially in low-lying areas, year-round; 
• inspects of all 18 storm water pumps to ensure functionality;   
• and, is ready to respond to flooding areas and make sure the drains are not obstructed and draining properly.

The Department of Regulatory and Economic Resources (RER), in close coordination with the South Florida Water Management District, made sure that canal water levels across Miami-Dade were low and continue to monitor.  

Flooding is the nation's most common natural disaster. Due to these expected weather conditions, we urge our community to be ready and exercise a high level of caution. 

• Stay off the roads if possible. It is never safe to drive or walk into flood waters: Don't drive or walk around road barriers or through large puddles. Hidden debris may be just under the surface, which could hurt you or disable your car.  
• Turn around, don’t drown. It is vital to know what to do if you are driving and hit a flooded road: More than half of the deaths from flooding each year occur in vehicles.  
• Help minimize impacts to our wastewater system by keeping manhole covers closed and decreasing water use in the morning and evening – which are the heaviest usage times – during heavy rain.   
• Prepare your business and home for flooding no matter where you live, but particularly if you are in a low-lying area, near water, or downstream from a dam. Even a very small stream or dry creek bed can overflow and create flooding. 

 Find additional flood safety tips here.