Minor Flood Causes Mold Suspicion

BELLINGHAM - A broken water main caused minor flooding and left some Fairhaven homes without water into the late afternoon, Wednesday, Dec. 8.

A 12-inch cast iron main, installed at least 85 years ago, broke about 6:45 a.m. near the intersection of 16th Street and Donovan Avenue, releasing more than 700,000 gallons in less than an hour, according to city Public Works officials.

Crews replaced a more than 15-foot section of the pipe, and water was restored after 4 p.m. to homes in the area. The work took longer than expected because crews had to replace a valve that broke while the main was being shut down.

The water caused minor flooding nearby. Public Works officials said most of the property damage was in people's yards.

Probably the worst hit was Hillcrest Kids, a child-care center that's part of Hillcrest Chapel at 1400 Larrabee Ave. The center closed Wednesday and will remain closed Thursday because of flooding issues. Officials weren't sure whether the school would be open Friday.

The school is located downhill from the break, and its parking lot and playgrounds looked like a lake as water poured down the road after 7 a.m.

"It all of a sudden started coming in through the parking lot," said teacher Samantha Seholm. "It was pretty crazy. The water came so fast."

Teachers rushed to move cars out of the lot and block the doors downstairs with anything they could to absorb the water - towels, dress-up clothes, pillows and quilts - before it got into the classrooms. But most classes have doors that open to the parking lot, and water flooded in, soaking carpets and some furniture.

Public Works crews pumped water out of the parking lot. The city called in Swan's Clean Care & Restoration to dry the carpets. Swan's will spray the carpets to prevent mold, and the way that dissipates will determine whether children can come back to the school Friday.

"I think right now (we're) just trying not to panic, making sure staff is taken care of and keeping parents informed," said child-care director and pastor Carol Daniel. "It's unsettling, but I'm impressed with how quickly the city has come to our aid."

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Woman Lives in Flooded Molded Apartment

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - A water front apartment isn't what one Nashville woman was looking for, but that's just what she got in the form of water pouring out of her ceiling and down her walls.

The pictures taken with a friend's camera is the best way to explain the water pouring from the ceiling fan, down the wall and causing water pockets in her ceiling.

"The best way I can describe it is Niagara Falls," said Brandy Lawrence. "I literally had two water falls in here. One coming out of the ceiling fan, the other coming out of the ceiling."

Water started pouring out of the ceiling covering just about every inch of the floor in her apartment last Thursday morning.

"There was not a dry spot anywhere," said Lawrence as she showed pictures that revealed the footprint markings left by the socked carpet.

She said it started in her laundry room. Her apartment managers said the flood was caused by her upstairs neighbor in the Deerfield section of Nashboro Village.

Just looking around or even at the pictures, living here now could be difficult, but Brandy said her complex mangers thought differently, as she played a voice message stating they would allow her to move into another apartment, but it would be her responsibility to pay for moving.

"She said, 'that is your opinion that it's not livable,' those where her exact words to me," Lawrence said.

Lawrence said her problems did not start with the flooding. She says there was mold in her bathroom.

"It was black. solid black," added Lawrence.

She said it was again because of leakage from upstairs, and also caused health her health problems.

She said enough is enough and the fact that she is paying for something out of her control, she wants out, but tied to paying hundreds of dollars for what she calls poor service.

"Truthfully I want out of here," said a furious Lawrence. "I never want to look back. I never want to see this place again. I never want to be back here again."

NewsChannel 5 called the Nashboro Village Apartment office to ask about Brandy's problems and was told to leave a message with the Community Director, but calls were not returned as of Tuesday night.

Lawrence said she has renter's insurance to pay for the damage to her belongings.

As for her moving into a new apartment, Lawrence said she is told that could not happen until the December 15, forcing her to continue to stay with relatives.

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Fed Up With Flooding

A Greece woman says she's had enough and says she’s suing the town over flooding problems in her home.

She says a faulty retention pond on town land has caused tens of thousands of dollars in damage.

Romana Mattioli says she's had to replace carpeting, bedding and furniture. She's also had to deal with mold issues.

The flood waters come from town land so she can't understand why Greece officials won't make things right.

When the heavy rain comes, homeowners on one end of Red Hickory Drive in Greece brace for the worst. That's because anempty lot fills with water, as it did yesterday before the rain turned to snow.
   
Mattioli lives next door to the lot. ‘My understanding is it's a catch basin and that when it rains hard enough, it's supposed to retain the water and eventually sink back into the earth or go into the sewer but that doesn't happen."

In July 2008, thunderstorms pounded the area. On Red Hickory, the water filled the lot and rose until it jumped the berm. Mattioli's home was nearly under water.

The flooding did tens of thousands of dollars in damage to her house, her furniture, carpet and appliances. She says it's the fourth time in her 14 years she's had to deal with the water problems. "I have a property, according to two real estate agents, that has no value. I can't sell it until the problem is resolved."

The Town of Greece owns the land and uses it as a retention pond. The water comes from the storm drains along the street, feeds into the trenches on the lot and empties into a pipe intended to carry it to the sewer lines on nearby Weiland Road.

Residents on the street say continued development through the years has resulted in more water than the pond can hold.

The town declined comment for this story.

Mattioli has begged the town to fix the problem. Occasionally crews do come out and check the drains to make sure they aren't blocked but beyond that, the town apparently has no plans to redesign the sewer system. “I would want to know who they would go to to resolve the issue, because obviously I call the town and I don't get any response as to who is going to fix this."

Mattioli has hired a lawyer and is now suing the town, citing improper and negligent design, construction and maintenance of the sewer system. She wants to be reimbursed for the flood damage but more importantly, she says, she wants a permanent fix. “And I would expect the town to do right and fix it. Just be ethical and fix the problem. I think that's what they would want if they lived in here. Nothing more, nothing less."

The town has offered to settle Mattioli's lawsuit for $12,000, calling it nothing more than a nuisance suit.

I-Team 10 has filed a freedom of information request with the Town of Greece, asking for the planning designs and maps of the retention pond to get a better idea of its intended use.

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