Raw sewage backed up into Dalia Prusa’s basement on Jan. 8, flooding it with 10 to 12 inches of contaminated water. Her contractor says the village’s lead water line replacement project damaged her sewer line.
Tom Patz, president of Budget Builders Incorporated, presented the Brookfield Village Board with video footage at its April 27 meeting showing the sewer line damaged by two inches. The damage disabled a check valve installed in 2013, he said, preventing it from closing and allowing sewage to back up into the home during heavy rain.
The repairs will cost $26,000, Patz said. Prusa’s insurance company has dropped the flood clause from her homeowner’s policy.
“She’s on a fixed income,” Patz told the board. “She can’t afford $26,000 every time it rains.”
Patz said the village hired Red Star Energy Services as the plumbing contractor and Hancock Engineering to oversee the lead line replacement project. Both entities have acknowledged the damage, he said, but resolution has stalled. The plumbing contractor agreed to fix only part of the problem, and no permit has been issued for full repairs.
“We can’t do anything until we get a permit from the city,” Patz said. “The city hired everybody to do this work.”
Patz said he emailed public works director Lauren Moore a month ago with no response. He last contacted Hancock Engineering a week before the board meeting.
Village President Michael Garvey said the village is not responsible and that Prusa should pursue legal action against the contractors and engineer.