Failed culvert pumps mud into Kenmore homes
KENMORE, Wash. -- It's a mucky mess for some families here, where a city culvert overflowed and stuck homeowners with the muddy cleanup.
On Monday, a babbling brook became a raging river and overwhelmed a culvert, sending muddy water racing through a neighborhood. The water has receded since, but several inches of soggy goo remain.
Who's responsible for this mess? Depends on who you ask.
The city of Kenmore put up a "road closed" sign and cleaned the muck off the city road, but left homeowners on their own.
"We called up the city. They said 'it's private property. We're not going to help you. It's not our problem,'" said homeowner Jay Arroyo.
Homeowners say there's a history here. Ten months ago, the city promised to study diverting more creek water through its own system and said the operation of the culvert was under review.
Some want to sue the city. Others couldn't wait and called in private cleanup.
"Univac is coming to suck it up with one of the big sucker trucks. That's not cheap," said Roman Richards, a homeowner.
Among those worried are realtor Elodie Morse, a former Kenmore city council member. I wondered who she blamed.
"This is very unusual. Yeah, God, nature," she said.
Morse says one problem is that the city grew too fast, allowing too many trees to disappear.
Homeowners say whatever the case may be, all they want is a hand.
"All we want from the city is just help us clean up. Just help us with our problem, that's it," Arroyo said.
KOMO 4 News contacted the Kenmore city manager for his reaction, but he did not returned our calls.
On Monday, a babbling brook became a raging river and overwhelmed a culvert, sending muddy water racing through a neighborhood. The water has receded since, but several inches of soggy goo remain.
Who's responsible for this mess? Depends on who you ask.
The city of Kenmore put up a "road closed" sign and cleaned the muck off the city road, but left homeowners on their own.
"We called up the city. They said 'it's private property. We're not going to help you. It's not our problem,'" said homeowner Jay Arroyo.
Homeowners say there's a history here. Ten months ago, the city promised to study diverting more creek water through its own system and said the operation of the culvert was under review.
Some want to sue the city. Others couldn't wait and called in private cleanup.
"Univac is coming to suck it up with one of the big sucker trucks. That's not cheap," said Roman Richards, a homeowner.
Among those worried are realtor Elodie Morse, a former Kenmore city council member. I wondered who she blamed.
"This is very unusual. Yeah, God, nature," she said.
Morse says one problem is that the city grew too fast, allowing too many trees to disappear.
Homeowners say whatever the case may be, all they want is a hand.
"All we want from the city is just help us clean up. Just help us with our problem, that's it," Arroyo said.
KOMO 4 News contacted the Kenmore city manager for his reaction, but he did not returned our calls.