Posted: 10/23/07
City residents sustained damage from torrential August rains too
By Charlie Warner
Argus Editor
Lightning struck twice, in the form of a city line sewer backup, for three Caledonia residents, and the city council has agreed to help them out.
A special city council meeting was held October 15 where council members discussed a sewer line backup that has damaged the basements of two homes on West Adams Street and one on South Sunnyside. All three homes are located on the south edge of Caledonia near the industrial park.
Chester and LuEtta Fruechte, Gordy Becker and William Gordon all had raw sewage back up into their basements during the torrential rains in August. All three homes experienced similar damage in 2004 when another major rain event struck Caledonia.
According to City Administrator Bob Nelson, the two incidents were somewhat related, but due to different circumstances.
In 2004, a sewer line was cut when a contractor, working for the city, was knifing in new electric lines. The damaged sewer line wasnít discovered until heavy rains ran down a drainage ditch, eroded the soft fill, and poured into the broke sewer line. The large volume of water was too much for the cityís waste water lift station and backed up into the basements of the three homes, causing damage.
Once the city determined what happened, the sewer line was repaired and the city paid for the cleaning bills presented by the homeowners.
The three homes incurred damage again this August when a broken manhole collar permitted massive amounts of rainwater to infiltrate the sanitary sewer system. It was determined the casting of a manhole located on private property in the industrial park was knocked off center. The damage caused a poor fit of the manhole cover, and the torrential rains of August 18 and 19 once again were too much for the lift station to handle. City crews dumped several loads of crushed rock on the manhole during the weekend storms as a quick fix.
Last week the crushed rock was removed and city crews discovered the broken casting and also found the pipe connecting the manhole opening with the sewer main below had not been cemented together. The city made the necessary repairs Thursday.
The city council approved a cleaning bill from the Fruechtes for $370.40. They also approved a bill submitted by Becker for $2,875.30 for new carpet (the carpet had been replaced after the 2004 damage), damaged furniture, personal belongings, and cleaning costs. A motion to pay both bills was made by Councilman Gary Klug and seconded by Councilman Randi Vick. Klugís motion stipulated payment was on condition both homeowners would sign a release stating the city was not responsible for the damage. The motion was unanimously approved.
The third home owner sustaining damage, William Gordon, has an entirely different situation. Gordon contends the damage to his home was so extensive that he wants to have the value of his home decreased.
"I really donít know what to do," Gordon told the council. "Raw sewage has damaged my home for the second time in three years. Itís in the walls, in the sheetrock. How can I live in it? How can I sell it? I was told the last time this happened it was a fluke accident and it wouldnít happen again. But it did."
The council said Gordonís matter would be turned over to the city attorney.
Caledonia Argus
314 West Lincoln St.
P.O. Box 227
Caledonia, MN 55921-0227
507/724-3475
E-Mail: editor.argus@ecm-inc.com