OCALA, Fla. (Nov. 10) – The City of Ocala has been awarded grant money from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in the amount of $1,454, 257. Funding will be used to cover the cost of installing backup generators and other improvements to the city’s sanitary sewer collection systems.
The city applied for grant funding in June 2018 and was awarded these funds Nov. 4, 2020. The grant is funded by the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP), a funding source that operates under FEMA, providing resources for critical infrastructure upgrades.
The approved proposal includes the purchase and installation of twenty permanent generators, automatic transfer switches and other electrical components for designated lift stations. The upgrades will allow lift stations to remain functional in the event of power loss due to hurricanes or other tropical storms. Existing manhole covers will be removed and replaced with new covers and seals to prevent stormwater intrusion and sanitary overflows.
The new generators will be protected against wind and weather conditions and include a 500-year flood event, meaning there is a 1 in 500 (0.2%) chance this type of flood risk could occur in a given year. All system requirements will be completed in strict compliance with Federal, State, and Local rules and regulations. Timelines for installation are under contract review and will be forthcoming.
For more information, please contact the City Engineer’s Office at 352-351-6772.
