Pittsburgh homeowner and water company debate responsibility for growing sinkhole

CBS News

05-06-2025

Pennsylvania family says repairs to water main on street has led to headaches
Pennsylvania family says repairs to water main on street has led to headaches
Pennsylvania family says repairs to water main on street has led to headaches
A growing sinkhole outside a home on Pittsburgh's North Side is causing problems for one homeowner.
The handicap parking spot reserved for Virginia Chinko outside her North Side home is now occupied by a sinkhole. It's not even necessarily the sinkhole, but it's the problems coming from it that are causing her stress.
Judy Chinko says water is coming through the wall in her mother's basement.
"Big pain in the butt," Virginia Chinko said.
Virginia Chinko has lived on Perelta Street on the North Side since 1960.
"Before they were here on the street doing work, you didn't have the sinkhole in front of your house?" KDKA's Meghan Schiller asked.
"No, we didn't have any of that," Judy Chinko said.
Judy Chinko and her mother alleged that all the issues started after Pittsburgh Water trucks parked on the sidewalk while repairing multiple mains along the street more than one year ago.
Pittsburgh Water disagrees, saying the sewer main is 12 feet deep. It said the water is leaking from the Chinko's sewer lateral, which is a homeowner's responsibility.
Neighbor Nicole Southern does not like that answer.
"I disagree with that because, like I said, the whole issue was because of the water mains breaking and them not refilling the sidewalk or the street properly," she said. "It caused sinkholes, and that's not even the first sinkhole that it caused."
The broken mains flooded Southern's basement. She's now worried about the Chinkos.
"Do we have to wait for somebody to fall in it, somebody's pet to get lost in it for them to finally come and do something about it?" she said.
The Chinkos said it would cost around $10,000 to make three repairs. They're hoping a plumber would want to help them figure out a solution.
Also, several residents on the street said they're going to continue to call anyone who will listen in hopes of catching the attention of someone who has the power to fix this.