ACE’s Florida Storm Emergency Protocol

ACE Septic & Waste is on a list of preferred vendors for the state of Florida when storm emergency protocol goes into effect.

With recent 2024 storms Hurricane Milton and Hurricane Helene showing how devastating natural disasters can be, ACE is on the short list of companies the state looks to in helping restore Florida back to standard operating procedure. ACE embraces this responsibility as part of its Clean Water Initiative and commitment to keeping our communities safe. 99% of the time, ACE is helping our residential and commercial customers with hurricane preparation through proactive septic maintenance.

This page is meant to help explain what happens when we’re called into emergency protocol, and how it may impact our normal operating policies and dispatch schedule.

Why Are Hurricanes So Devastating?

It’s pretty clear just how devastating hurricanes can be when you consider property damage to houses, cars, boats, businesses, and more. Moreover, Florida is uniquely challenged by a high water table and low elevation, so dramatically rising waters create massive problems to municipal sewage, individual septic systems, and more. It’s part of why we’re responsive to Florida’s storm emergency protocol.

Lift Stations

When hurricanes strike, power outages and flooding can incapacitate lift stations, leading to backups, overflows, and environmental contamination.

Sewage Drains

Sewage drains are designed to handle normal wastewater flow, but hurricanes can overwhelm these systems with floodwaters and debris. Blocked or damaged sewage drains can lead to localized flooding, backups, and widespread health hazards as untreated sewage seeps into residential areas.

Septic Systems

Septic systems, both residential and commercial, rely on proper drainage to function efficiently. Florida’s high water table makes them particularly vulnerable during hurricanes, as rising groundwater can saturate drain fields, causing backups and failures. Flooding can also lead to contamination of local water supplies, creating public health risks.

Storm Drains

Storm drains are essential for diverting excess rainwater away from streets and homes. However, hurricanes often produce rainfall far beyond their capacity. Blockages or inadequate storm drain infrastructure can lead to flash floods, property damage, and increased strain on nearby sewage and septic systems.

Pools

Pools can become dangerous during hurricanes due to storm surge and debris. Contaminated floodwaters can overflow into pools, turning them into health hazards. Additionally, heavy rain and wind can damage pool equipment, and untreated pools can become breeding grounds for mosquitoes if not properly managed.

How Does ACE Septic & Waste Respond?

There is no single way that ACE Septic & Waste responds to natural disasters in Florida. It depends on a few variables such as affected area, population density, and estimated damage. In the recent cases of Hurricane Milton (2024), Hurricane Helene (2024), and Hurricane Ian (2022), we provided our septic services and equipment to clean up Florida for issues that related to septic and sewage systems, but also in ways that just simply help transport water out of places that it shouldn’t be like municipal pools or storm drains.

Experiencing a septic or lift station emergency?

Call our emergency line.

What Should Our Customers Know?

To our loyal customers and patrons of ACE Septic & Waste, when Florida storm emergency protocol is in effect, we must prioritize the needs of the cleanup efforts over currently scheduled or requested appointments and services. We’d love to be able to do it all, but understand that if we are not able to honor an appointment or get you scheduled before, during, or after a natural disaster, it’s because we’re serving the greater needs of Florida.

Our promise is that our team will work tirelessly to see through our emergency efforts so we can get back to serving each and every one of our customers, and appreciate the understanding and flexibility of the people of this great state. If you have any questions, or want to learn more, call our office or visit some of the blogs we’ve written when we’ve had to go into Florida storm emergency protocol.