6.1. ERMUSR 02-11-2014 - Laserfiche WebLink

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"r. Residents of Duluth neighborhood left with tab for waterline breaks The recent plight of a dozen households in Duluth's Bayview Heights neighborhood reveals once again that what you don't know about homeownership can deal you a painful financial blow. By Peter Passi, Duluth News Tribune The recent plight of a dozen households in Duluth's Bayview Heights neighborhood reveals once again :ql ;�, " �* that what you don't know about homeownership can ' I; ��' deal you a painful financial blow. When he purchased his home in the 2900 block of 85th Avenue West nearly eight years ago, Dean Peterson had no idea that he and 11 of his neighbors shared a private waterline that was on the verge of Al Shelton of Shelton Excavating works with his crew to failure. backfill a lawn on 85th Avenue West using an excavator.The contractor was fixing a broken waterline in the neighborhood on Jan.22. (Bob King I rking @duluthnews.com) Likewise, Dave Ogren, who bought a home a block away from Peterson on 85th a few years later, said he "These people have been paying their water bills and was unaware the residence was served by a private different fees for years," Fosle said, suggesting the shared line until it broke—and he got his first bill. problem line could be replaced with a city-owned main before it ruptures again. "Maybe there's some In the past five years, Ogren said the faltering line has way to defray a portion of the cost, but they'll probably broken four times—most recently on Jan. 18, when need to be assessed." 12 households on 85th went without water for five days before a fix could be made. Undersized and substandard City Councilor Jay Fosle, who represents the Eric Shaffer, chief utilities engineer for the city of neighborhood, is urging the city to offer some Duluth, said the water line probably was installed by a assistance. cost-cutting private developer who chose not to have the city lay the pipe that would deliver water to the "At least we could see if there are any grants avenue's residents. Shaffer said he couldn't be sure available to help," he said. exactly what the circumstances were when the 50- plus-year-old water main was installed. But the line In this case, the pipe was finally repaired at a cost of wasn't built to required city specifications at the time, about$2,400, leaving Peterson, Ogren and neighbors which is why it was classified as a private line. who share the line to pick up the tab—$200 apiece. "They never paid for the main to meet city standards, so the city won't go in and fix it for them for free," he said. 187