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May 13, 2008 8:23 pm US/Mountain
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Sanitation District Won't Pay For Damage To Homes
Reporting
Paul Day
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (CBS4) ―
Several Englewood homeowners are seeking a total of $50,000 from a suburban sanitation district after its sewer line backed up on March 30.
"I'm devastated." said Patrick Pansini, who lives at 2975 W. Chenango.
Pansini has had to tear up his carpeting and flooring, plus remove a lower section of wallboard after raw sewage backed up in the toilet and flooded several rooms of his finished basement.
The Valley Sanitation District says it's not legally liable, even though it admits owning the sewer line that backed up.
"Our comprehensive maintenance program was adhered to," said Pat Fitzgerald, an agent and spokesman for the District.
Still, checks have been paid to all affected homeowners from the district's "no fault" insurance policy, which has a cap of $7,500.
"To me, it's an insult; a slap in the face," Pansini said..
He maintains the insurance payment he was offered for $1,300 doesn't begin to cover his clean-up and repair costs of $16,000.
Bill Rayburn is another affected homeowner who received a check much smaller than the actual cost of his damage, estimated by him at $12,000.
"They won't pay," Rayburn said.
A total of seven homes were damaged, according to homeowners interviewed by CBS4 News Tuesday.
They estimate the total cleanup and repair costs for all seven homes at $50,000.
The Board of Directors for the Valley Sanitation District will meet Wednesday night and the homeowners' demand is on the agenda.
"We sure will consider it," said Board President Phyllis Gooden. "I'm not sure what the outcome will be."
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