Resident urges city help with backflow valves after storm flooding

Jackie Phillips, who gave an address in New Port Richey and said she has repeatedly raised the issue for more than two years, asked the council to provide money to install backflow preventers in her neighborhood to mitigate future storm flooding. She said she had identified a civil engineer in St. Petersburg and provided the council with pages of evidence and examples of other communities using backflow devices.

"We are still asking for the money for the backflow valve so that we can have a safe and healthy environment," Phillips said, and told the council she had already prepared documentation and located an engineer who could advise on next steps. City staff and the city attorney said they do not believe CRA funds are a legal use for homeowners' backflow installations because the current CRA plan document does not authorize such expenditures.

Staff said an engineer (Mr. Eichenmueller) has been working on alternative, less expensive solutions that staff believes would be more effective than individual backflow preventers, and that the city will convene a session with affected residents to present that idea. Council members said they would continue to advocate for the resident and explore whether disaster-relief or other funding sources could apply if an engineer substantiates the need.