SALT LAKE CITY — Families displaced by a water main break near 500 South and Emery Street are asking whether a nearby bridge project played a role in the flooding and who will pay for the damage to their homes.
The 20-inch transmission main broke early Sunday, sending water into homes on both sides of Emery Street and washing away enough soil to create a large crater in the road.
Salt Lake City Public Utilities said 15 homes were affected and residents of four homes were displaced.
Willa Mae Graham said six feet of water filled her basement before spreading through the rest of her home. Her son lived downstairs and lost nearly all of his belongings. His bearded dragon died in the flooding.
Her son is now sleeping in a tent in the yard, while Graham and her partner, Tom Newman, are staying in a camper in the driveway.
“I’ve lived here since 1966, when I was born,” Newman said. “My parents had the house then, and I took it over when they passed.”
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Newman said he had never experienced flooding at the home before Sunday. His insurance company sent a disaster cleanup crew to pump and dry the house, but he said he was later told his policy would not cover the remaining damage.
“I don’t care who caused it,” Newman said. “I care about who’s gonna help us as homeowners. How do we get our home back to normal?”
A few doors away, Misael Flores showed FOX 13 the waterline left across his home and the damage throughout the basement.
“Everything here, everything back here was ruined,” Flores said.
Flores, who has lived in the neighborhood all his life, is temporarily staying with his sister.
Salt Lake City Public Utilities deputy director Jesse Stewart said the failed main connects to a new waterline being installed beneath the Jordan River as part of a UDOT bridge replacement project.
“The break happened very proximate, very close by to that open excavation,” Stewart said. “We’re right now looking at the connection between the construction project with the bridge and what happened with the water line break.”
UDOT said the break occurred outside its work zone and that it is assisting the city with the response. Neither UDOT nor the city has determined whether construction contributed to the failure.
Stewart said the water main dates to the 1960s but was believed to be in good condition. The city was not aware of problems with the line before it broke.
The city said it is working with a mitigation contractor to remove water, cut damaged drywall and address possible mold. Residents are also being directed to contact their insurance companies or file claims with the city. Each city claim will be evaluated separately.
The city has not offered temporary housing or immediate living expenses while the cause remains under investigation.
Shirley Reyes said her basement flooring and recent renovations were destroyed. She is couch surfing while her mother, grandfather and pets stay with her sister.
“I understand the investigation process will take time, but we don’t have a lot of time,” Reyes said. “We have a lot of kids that are going to school right now and don’t have a home to come back to.”
Water service has been restored in the area, but some flooded homes remain without gas. The city has not provided a timeline for repairing the damaged main or completing its investigation.
