ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla — Electricity and your bathroom.
Two things you do not want to fail, even even when hurricanes hit or sea levels rise.
There are two major projects in St. Augustine aiming to make the city more resilient to floods.
Both electric and sewer systems were challenged when hurricanes slammed St. Augustine in 2015 and 2016.
The city is also dealing with rising seas and the inevitability of floods in the low lying town.
Florida Power and Light is building a new electrical substation on Riberia Street. It's waterfront property on the Sebastian River.
The site contractor said it's being built entirely on a raised platform, five-feet off the ground. A wall also surrounds the substation.
Meanwhile, less than a mile away behind the St. Augustine Police Department, the city is elevating something called a lift station which keeps sewage moving and not backing up into people's homes.
When hurricanes Matthew and Irma walloped St. Augustine, lift stations -- most of which were on the ground -- were flooded. This new lift station will be at least four feet off the ground.
It's one of 13 lift stations in the city that city officials say should work even as waters continue to rise. It's paid for with FEMA money.