Sandbags and Other Flood Barriers
Self-serve Sandbag Site
Residents of unincorporated 新澳门六合彩 can pick up free, pre-filled sandbags at our self-serve site next to the Household Hazardous Waste facility at 2855 109th Ave. N., St. Petersburg, Monday through Friday 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. (limit 10 sandbags per household). Municipal residents should check with their city government for availability.
Availability: Sandbags are restocked on Fridays, typically between 7-9 a.m.
Note: Sandbags are only recommended for residents who may experience flooding less than 15 inches from rain or tides. Sandbags won’t stop water completely, but they can reduce the amount of water entering your home. They will not protect against waves or storm surge associated with larger storms.
Prepare for hurricane season by getting your sandbags pre-season. 新澳门六合彩 cannot guarantee the availability of sandbags immediately before a storm. Sandbag distribution sites typically end up with long lines before a storm, keeping residents tied up in traffic lines and away from other important preparedness work. You can get sandbags in a lower-stress setting BEFORE a storm threatens our area.
If a storm is forecast to impact our area, contact your city to see if they are giving out sandbags. Residents of unincorporated areas in 新澳门六合彩 can check or call the County Information Center at (727) 464-4333 during emergencies.
There are several alternatives to sandbags, including flood bags and barriers, flood gates and water-activated dams. Most of these are reusable. They are available at most home improvement stores and may offer more protection than sandbags. County and most municipal sandbag sites give each resident 10 sandbags to ensure as many eligible residents receive help as possible. Ten sandbags will protect one doorway to a height of approximately 15 inches.
![People shoveling sand into sandbags](/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Irma_Sandbag_TaylorPk_27_090617_DL-1024x755.jpg)
How to Use Sandbags and Sandbag Alternatives
Sandbag Reuse and Disposal
For sandbags that did NOT come into contact with floodwaters:
- Keep and store clean sandbags to reuse them for future storms. Hurricane season runs from June 1 through Nov. 30, with most major storms occurring between mid-August and late October. It鈥檚 best to store sandbags in a cool, dry area indoors or under cover.
- To dispose of clean sandbags, spread the sand on lawns or landscape beds. Place the empty bags in your garbage bin (not your recycling bin).
- Do not dump sandbags onto the beach. Sand used to help stop flooding may be different from beach sand and can cause issues for turtle nesting, among other problems.
For sandbags that have come into contact with floodwaters:
- Sandbags that have been in contact with floodwaters may be contaminated by sewage, animal waste, oil, lawn chemicals or other hazardous chemicals. Wear gloves and a dust mask when handling potentially contaminated materials. Do not place used sand in or near bodies of water, playgrounds, sandboxes or other areas of direct human contact.
- Bring used sandbags, separated from other waste to the , 3095 114th Ave. N., St. Petersburg. Disposal fees apply.
- Note: Disposal fees for sandbags will be waived after hurricane season, from Dec. 1, 2024, through the end of 2024.
Please do not put sand or full sandbags in your regular trash or yard waste. The sand does not burn and will not convert to energy in the County鈥檚 Waste-to-Energy Facility. Do not mix sandbags with yard debris for disposal. The sand is abrasive and damages equipment used to grind yard debris into mulch.
- Note: Disposal fees for sandbags will be waived after hurricane season, from Dec. 1, 2024, through the end of 2024.
For more information about the prefilled sandbags, call 新澳门六合彩 Public Works at (727) 464-8900.