Gallons of sewage backs up into Austin family's home due to construction mishap
A family's life was turned upside down after gallons of sewage backed up into her home
This was due to a mishap during a city construction project last fall
The home is still unlivable months after this happened
AUSTIN, Texas - A West Austin woman says her family's life was turned upside down, after gallons and gallons of sewage backed up into her home.
It was caused by a mishap during a city construction project last fall, but months later her home is still unlivable.
Local perspective
It's safe to say October 22, 2024, is a day Carol Hawkins will never forget.
A city contractor was working on the South Tarrytown Water and Wastewater Renewal Project. But, in the midst of that work, the city says a sewage line was damaged, and failed, sending sewage gushing into Hawkins' Dormarion Lane home.
"It was a horrible mess when I came in," said Hawkins. "Sewage had backed up, overflowed the toilet, pretty much filled up the bath tub."
She began cleaning up the mess herself, injuring her knee, as she frantically tried to find a plumber.
"Oh, it was god awful," said Hawkins. "It was covering the whole bathroom floor out into the hall."
The sewage even flooded into the living room and two bedrooms, in the cherished home that Hawkins grew up in.
"I just kept thinking, my mother would feel horrible if she saw this. She was also always so fastidious about her house, and it felt like a sacrilege," said Hawkins.
Hawkins and her husband, who is terminally ill, had to move into their garage apartment, displacing her granddaughter who had been staying there.
Three days later, the city contractor sent a crew in to clean up the carpets and make some repairs. But when it came to fixing the actual damage?
"The contractor said, 'We'll fix this for you. You can be sure we're going to take care of you,'" said Hawkins.
Days turned into weeks. Hawkins says she called the city multiple times, including the mayor's office, but wasn't given a clear roadmap of what was supposed to happen next.
"Everybody's been very nice, but nobody's helped," said Hawkins.
She was eventually told she would have to deal directly with the city's insurance company.
"The first adjuster was not there for a month, and I would call and call and call and call," said Hawkins.
Then, she learned it was up to her to find bids for contractors to do the work, which includes redoing floors, ripping up carpets, and replacing walls and moldings. At 79, she says that's been overwhelming, as she juggles caring for her husband and a part-time job.
"The person who's been deluged by sewage should not be expected to fix everything," said Hawkins.
Five months later, the home is still unlivable.
"This is where we gather. We couldn't be together here for Thanksgiving. We couldn't be together here for Christmas," said Hawkins.
What they're saying
7 On Your Side reached out to the city. The agencies responsible for the project, Austin Water and Capital Delivery Services, sent a joint statement, saying in part:
"The contractor referred the damage to the City's Rolling-Owner Controlled Insurance Program (ROCIP) team on October 28 after collecting necessary information. A subsequent claim was filed by the homeowner...The City's insurance provider is actively working with the property owner to reach an agreement to provide financial compensation to cover repair costs."
The city said it could not give further details because of a policy not to discuss open and ongoing claims, but says it has a process to assist homeowners in these cases:
Immediately repair the damaged pipeline to prevent further backups.
Hire a specialized contractor to conduct clean-up inside the affected property.
Refer the property owner to the City's insurance provider so that the property owner can arrange financial compensation to cover repair costs.
The homeowner obtains three bids for the repair from companies of their choosing, and financial compensation from the city is based on these bids.
The city confirmed that all these steps were followed in Hawkins' case, but she wishes there was more guidance along the way.
"Just to have someone who could smooth the path, so that the person who has the sewage dumped on them doesn't have to swim through it for four more months," said Hawkins.
What's next
Despite everything, Hawkins was able to get those bids, and things are now moving forward.
"They finally agreed that they would pay that amount. It looks like there's now a light at the end of our tunnel," said Hawkins.
Hawkins says she hopes that by getting her story out, the process will be smoother for others.
"I'm just so grateful that you all do this," said Hawkins.
The city says situations like this are very rare, and no other homes on Hawkins' block were affected.
As for her home, she's hoping the repairs will be wrapped up in the next month or two.
The Source
Information from interviews conducted by FOX 7 Austin's John Krinjak
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