DADE CITY, Fla. — Along with shampoo, conditioner, and styling products, there's another item T'Shas Salon owner Latitia Powell said she always tries to keep on hand during the rainy season.

• Lack of infrastructure problem in downtown Dade City
• Businesses, residents often deal with flooded roads
• $1.8 million in state appropriations included in budget

"You always have to have sandbags during the rainy season because it has come under the door several times," Powell said of the water she said floods downtown streets whenever a lot of rain falls during a short span of time. 

"Like you're on waterfront property," Powell said of her view from the salon when that happens. "People can't leave, customers are soaked up to their knees trying to get back to their cars. It's horrible."

City Manager Billy Poe called it the "Dade City River System."

"You can surf or boogie board down the road. I mean, there's that much water that is conveyed down the streets," Poe said.

According to Poe, the problem isn't outdated infrastructure -- it's lack of infrastructure. He said the city came up with a plan to deal with the issue in 1965, and while some improvements were made, others weren't.

Poe said funding appeared to be the main reason for the hold-up. While he said he wasn't aware of damage caused to other infrastructure by the excess water, he said safety is a concern.

"It does make roads scary because there's ponding and puddling and standing water," he said.

Relief could be on the way as part of the city's budget for the current fiscal year, which began October 1. Poe said $1.8 million in state appropriations are included in the spending plan to improve storm water drainage.

Of that, Poe said $1.4 million will be used to lay piping from Pasco Ave. and 7th St. down to 3rd St. From there, he said the piping will turn north to Meridian Ave. where it will hook into the existing conveyance system. That takes water to a retention pond on the other side of the historic train depot. Another $400,000 will go towards making improvements to the pond.

"We're hoping to eliminate all the standing water and the flooding of the streets. So, that's the biggest thing is that roads will be passable to both vehicular and pedestrian traffic," said Poe.

"We definitely need something done," said Powell.

Poe said the city plans to put the project out to bid next month. He said work could begin in early 2019.