JUPITER, Fla. — Residents at Marino Apartments in Jupiter are raising concerns about drainage after they say heavy rain repeatedly leaves portions of the property covered in standing water, at times forcing families to walk through the water simply to reach their vehicles.
Resident James Ortman told WPTV the problem has become part of his family's routine when rain hits. He said the water has risen as high as 10 to 12 inches around the front tires of his truck at its worst.
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"My 9-year-old and 5-year-old should not have to describe to me whether it's a puddle, pond, or lake outside the truck," Ortman said.
WPTV's Samantha Gutierrez has repeatedly reached out to management at Marino Apartments seeking an explanation for the drainage problems and information about what, if anything, will be done to address them. Management had not provided a comment at the time of this report.
Family changes routine when water collects
For Ortman, the drainage concerns are more than an inconvenience. He said the standing water can affect something as routine as getting his children into the family vehicle.
"If they do, then we may have to go more Crocs, getting them into the truck, and I'll bring their school shoes, their school socks or shoes down," Ortman said. "Same thing for me."
Ortman said he does not want his children walking through significant amounts of standing water to reach the vehicle.
"Would you feel comfortable walking your kids through, I don't know, 1,500 square feet of eight inches of water?" he asked.
Resident wants lasting solution
Ortman said he wants apartment management to understand what residents are experiencing firsthand and address why water continues to collect when heavy rain falls.
"Live through it. Live through it for a few days, and then tell me," Ortman said.
WPTV has not independently verified Ortman's estimates of the water's depth or the size of the affected area. The descriptions of those conditions are based on his account.
WPTV also has not received information from Marino Apartments management explaining the cause of the reported drainage problems or whether repairs or other corrective measures are planned.
For residents like Ortman, the concern now is what will happen the next time heavy rain arrives and whether conditions will change before then.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
