Riverbank family says road project left them without running water for seven months

A Riverbank family says they've spent the last seven months without running water after flooding they believe was caused by a nearby road project destroyed their well, leaving them with a home they say is no longer livable.

Melissa and Robert Sandoval, whose family has lived on the property near Roselle Avenue and Claribel Road for generations, say they have been caught in a bureaucratic stalemate between the City of Riverbank and Stanislaus County while searching for help.

"It comes to the point: Am I going to take a shower? Am I going to eat? Or am I going to wash clothes this month?" Melissa Sandoval said.

The Sandovals say their problems began in 2018 during construction of the North County Corridor project, when county crews widened the nearby intersection.

According to the family, drainage pipes were buried during the project and never replaced, leaving stormwater with nowhere to go. They say the property has repeatedly flooded since then.

"My well is underwater," Robert Sandoval said.

A major flood in December, they say, destroyed the home's private well, leaving the family without running water ever since.

The flooding has also left much of the home uninhabitable. Tarps cover damaged flooring, cardboard serves as a back door to keep pests out and the family's kitchen has been moved outside.

"We started noticing a smell, and we had someone come out and open that stove," Melissa Sandoval said. "We were actually cooking dead rats as we were cooking our food."

For months, Melissa Sandoval has attended public meetings, asking both Riverbank city officials and Stanislaus County for help. She says each government has pointed her to the other.

"When they're playing the blame game, me and my dad, who are disabled, are suffering bad," she said.

Stanislaus County Supervisor Buck Condit, whose district includes the property, said he has encouraged the family to file a formal claim with the county, which has not yet happened.

In a statement, Condit said:

"The County does not operate or maintain the private well on their property, and whether its loss of water service is related to County work cannot be determined based on timing alone. That, along with any allegation regarding the earlier flooding or property damage, would need to be evaluated through the claims process."

The Sandovals say they believe years of water damage have made the home unsafe to live in. They are now asking the county to condemn the house and hope to move into a travel trailer if a long-term solution can be found.

"It's sort of like, who are we on the outside of the fence looking in?" Robert Sandoval said.

"It's like we're visitors," Melissa Sandoval added. "Yeah, in our own town."