Orange County to start second project to try to alleviate Orlo Vista flooding issues

ORANGE COUNTY – Orange County said it’s putting a second project into motion to help the hard-hit Orlo Vista community ahead of the upcoming hurricane season.

In March, construction started on a $23 million fix to expand retention ponds to alleviate flooding. That project is ongoing. In one of the ponds, crews have pumped out water and are working on making it deeper.

The state is set to give Orange County $2 million for a new project also meant to address community flooding. That project will move stormwater from the Orlo Vista lake system to Shingle Creek and then farther south. That water will eventually be reclaimed for Orange County’s water supply to be used for things like irrigation.

Orange County originally asked the state for $6 million to make the new Orlo Vista project possible, but only got $2 million, which means there is a funding gap.

The plan to expand the retention ponds is set to wrap up by 2024, and the new plan to pump out and reclaim water is set to be finished by 2027.