DADE CITY, Fla. — Residents in one Dade City neighborhood always dread rainy season due to persistent problems with floodwaters, but a fix for those problems is now on the way.
- Some residents near Howard Ave. see water come into homes
- Gov. DeSantis signed off appropriations request for new storm water pump
- Project will include expanding retention pond
- More Pasco County stories
This last weekend's rain was just the latest example of the problem for residents along Howard Avenue.
“The whole road floods. All of it is under water,” said neighbor Zeke Pizano.
Photos from just last month show how high the water can get. Some see water come into their homes.
“I’ve seen a canoe paddling down the street and kids playing in it like a big giant swimming pool,” Pizano said.
City officials say the street’s slope between 9th Street and 12th Street combined with an old drainage system keeps water stuck there, sometimes requiring the road to be shut down when it floods.
“The water sits here for 3-4 days," Pizano explains. "And then it brings in a lot of mosquitoes. One problem leads to another problem."
There is some relief on the way for the neighbors in this community, however. Gov. Ron DeSantis recently signed an appropriation request from State Rep. Ardian Zika for $150,000, to fund a new storm water pump on Howard Avenue.
“Projects like this reduce flooding," Zika said. "It’s an investment, not a cost. We just have to continue to make these type of investments in Pasco County."
City officials say the project will also include expanding a retention pond on Howard Avenue, which should bring immediate relief.
Dade City does not have an exact timeframe in mind for the fixes, but the funding approval is moving them along faster than before.