Without water for 13 days, Philadelphia family searches for answers
The Philadelphia Water Department told them they had a leak and turned their water off 13 days ago. Now, a family in Mount Airy is desperate to have running water before the winter storm hits.
Beverly McFadden and her husband, both in their 70s, live on Michener Avenue with their two grandchildren. They've been without running water since Jan. 9.
The city had done work underground the day before, McFadden said. Right after, she and two other neighbors were notified about leaks.
"His exact words were, 'You're the problem.' We're the problem? He said, 'Yeah, you have a leak,'" McFadden said.
Fortunately, the McFaddens had enrolled in a Water Line Protection Program in 2020 through American Water Resources, an insurance program endorsed by the city.
"It was something the city recommended that we would be fine, we would be OK, you know, we would be in a good position," McFadden said about enrolling in the program and trying to avoid any expensive repairs in the future.
Her neighbor wasn't enrolled in the program, but she had her water turned back Thursday while CBS News Philadelphia was there. Workers told us the neighbor was able to get a loan to repair the leak through the city. Meanwhile, the McFaddens are showering at a relative's home and relying on jugs of water to get by. The forecasted winter storm increases the stress.
"We're terrified. We're terrified," she said.
McFadden said American Water Resources has sent over three different contractors, but work has yet to start. On Thursday, a contractor dropped off cases of water and said they are scheduled to complete the repair on Jan. 28, which is 19 days after the city turned the water off.
However, late Thursday, McFadden said she got a call that the work would be done Friday morning.
Since CBS News Philadelphia started asking questions, a spokesperson with the Philadelphia Energy Authority, who oversees the city's contract with American Water Resources, says the McFaddens' leak has been expedited and water should be back on by Friday.
