‘I just want my home protected’: Residents blame construction site for constant home flooding

MAITLAND, Fla. — Li Qiao has lived in the same home for almost ten years, and she says she loved her neighborhood until things changed recently.

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“I was working around 7:20 pm, then I rushed back home. The water to my knees again on my driveway,” she said as she pointed to the damage caused by the recent stormwaters.

Qiao lives at the corner of Thunder and Tuscarora Trails in Maitland. Channel 9 visited her home on Monday; from outside, everything looked normal, but it was a very different scene from what it looked like just a week ago.

The resident blames a construction site nearby for the flooding.

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She says large bags – similar to sandbags - were put out in front of the drains by the workers to stop debris from falling into the drainage system, but according to her, the effort backfired, and she reached out to the city.

“They try to push this as the contract guy’s responsibility,” said Qiao. “I do have the city engineer’s number. I do have this contract guy’s number - I even talked to him! He said, I will come to look at it, but never came to look.”

Li Qiao is not the only one dealing with the problem – her next-door neighbor’s home also got flooded.

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‘I just want my home protected’: Maitland residents blame construction site for constant home floodings (Li Qiao /Li Qiao)

Lee’s neighbor says she’s not alone – his home was also flooded.

“The water even got up as high as there in the garage. It did destroy some personal property in the garage itself,” said Raul Alvarez as he pointed to the nearly-foot-tall watermark by his front door. “When I went outside to come to check it, I had to go, as if the water was so high I couldn’t even open my front door. I had to walk around the side of my house.”

Channel 9 reached out to the City of Maitland for comment but did not hear back.

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Over the phone, RPU Corp., a company connected to the project, said the bags were placed to help prevent construction debris from falling into the drains.

However, when questioned about Li Qiao’s claims that the measure worsened the problem, the company said it would respond via email. Channel 9 has not heard back. “I worked 27 years to have my home. I just want my home protected,” said Qiao.

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