SOME flood-affected residents in Delacombe say they will not move back into their homes until they are sure further flooding can be prevented. Les Waight, who lives in Delacombe with his wife and three children, said he loved living there but could not bear to face another flood.Yesterday, Ballarat City Council committed $500,000 to "fast-tracked flood mitigation" works in Alfredton and Delacombe.The program will include maintenance and clearing works in Delacombe at Bonshaw Creek.The council will continue investigating "appropriate measures" to minimise flood risks in Miners Rest. The council also reported the design of a wetland system in the Doug Dean Reserve had been completed but works will be "redesigned" to increase water retention to reduce the amount of water entering Royale Street and Banyule Drive.The council will also use specialised equipment to remove blockages from drains in Alfredton. Ballarat Mayor Craig Fletcher said council was acting to mitigate further threat of flooding after several community consultation meetings. "Let there be no mistake the council has listened to the community," he said.However Cr Fletcher said the total cost of flood damage was not yet known although damage to council infrastructure such as roads and drains would run into "millions of dollars".But Mr Waight was not confident about the flood mitigation measures announced yesterday.He wanted greater assurance his property would not be subject to further flooding. Although his house was spared in September, it was inundated in January and again on Friday.The flood waters reached waist height inside the house on Friday.“The first time was bad enough because we lost most of our possessions and we just lost again,” he said.Water also inundated several neighbouring properties in last Friday’s downpour.Meanwhile, a former Ballarat council employee has raised concerns about rubbish blocking drains and waterways around Delacombe. The former employee, who declined to be named, said a lack of drain maintenance had contributed to the flooding of houses in Delacombe.However, the council reported it spends $770,000 each year on maintenance and improvements to drains. It is responsible for 900 kilometres of underground drainage in addition to lined channels, waterways and rural open drains.The council also reported it spent more than $1 million on specific drainage projects to overcome “localised flooding” plus major drainage upgrade works in road construction projects.