Cut Sewage Line Forces Aurora Families From Homes
AURORA, Colo. (CBS4) - Homeowners in Aurora have been forced out of their homes after a construction company cut through their sewer lines. Now they say they can't get anyone to help fix the problem.
At least two families have been staying in hotels because their homes are uninhabitable. Some families affected said they were told to fix the sewer line themselves.
Jill Duvall on Sunday saw the damage to her rental property for the first on time since sewage flooded into the bottom level.
"This is just disgusting," she said.
Next door, Kevin Finkbiner has been dealing with a similar mess.
"It was coming up from right underneath my washer and dryer," Finkbiner said.
Finkbiner said crews doing the work contacted him on Thursday and mentioned they may have slightly damaged his sewer line but that he should go about as usual.
"'Nothing you need to worry about, everything should be fine. Flush your toilets, take showers, do everything like you normally would, nothing you need to worry about.' I guess that was wrong," he said.
On Saturday the backup got so bad both families had to move out of their homes and into hotel rooms They've both taken steps to get the mess cleaned up but the problem has yet to be fixed.
Duvall has tried contacting the construction company and Xcel Energy, who contracted them to do the work. She says she was told they were on their own for now.
"Basically we've got to front all of the money to get the mitigator in here, put our renters up in hotels until we figure out what they're going to do about it," Duvall said.
Both families understand accidents can happen. What they don't understand is why no one is stepping up to help make things right.
"I'm over the being mad about it phase. i was mad about it at first. right now I just want my home back," Finkbiner said.
To make things worse, the City of Aurora said they've checked on the problem and it might be more widespread and at least 16 homes could be affected.
The company responsible for breaking the sewage line is based out of Wisconsin.