TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Valve Violations Flood One Area Of Hillsborough

ADVERTISEMENT

By MIKE SALINERO

msalinero@tampatrib.com

Published: October 16, 2008

TAMPA - The latest recipient of Hillsborough County's Moral Courage Award wants to know why Apollo Beach and Sun City Center homeowners are getting a disproportionate number of citations for backflow valve violations.

David Brown said the county has issued 173 citations to homeowners in Apollo Beach and Sun City Center since May; only seven were issued in the rest of the county.

Brown said it is "too much of a coincidence for Apollo Beach and Sun City Center to have 98 percent of the citations."

The county requires backflow valves for homes that use water from a lake or pond to irrigate lawns.

Richard Cummings, director of field maintenance for the water department, said backflow citations often result when inspectors go out to check complaints about odors or off-color water. If inspectors see a pump connection to a secondary water source without the backflow preventer, they issue a citation.

Cummings said he thinks there are more water quality complaints from south county because water pressure is lower there. When pressure drops in the potable water system, it can be overridden by the pump pressure from the irrigation system.

Commissioners have asked County Administrator Pat Bean to investigate.

Reporter Mike Salinero can be reached at (813) 259-8303.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT