Some Southeast D.C. homeowners are having to deal with the horror of sewage seeping into their homes and ruining parts of their basement.
It happened Tuesday along Southern Avenue near Fort Dupont Street, and the culprit is a broken pipe.
“It was pretty bad,” said homeowner Khianti Silver. “I smelled something burning and realized that it was the furnace being burned out. I ran down in the basement, and before I could get to the basement the water was coming up the stairs.”
According to WSSC Water, the sewage overflow occurred after a 10-inch sewer main broke.
Lyn Riggins, a spokeswoman for WSSC Water, said crews have repaired the pipe and are now working with neighbors in the area.
“Cleaning crews are actively working to clean and sanitize all the affected properties,” Riggins said. “WSSC Water also has plumbers checking furnaces, and we will have electricians available as needed.”
Hotels are being offered to residents who don’t want to stay in their homes in the meantime.
“Right now, they’re cleaning and making sure all the water is out; and then they’ll come back tomorrow to cut out walls,” Silver said. “We’re still without heat and hot water, and we don’t have any Wi-Fi right now because our Wi-Fi connection was in the basement.”
There was some confusion, at first, because the affected properties are located in D.C., which is covered by the utility DC Water.
It took some time for utility crews to realize that the pipe that burst actually belonged to WSSC Water, a utility that serves Montgomery and Prince George’s counties in Maryland.
Silver said “it’s going to be a task” determining which items she lost and what she needs to report to insurance.
“It was just a mess,” Silver said. “I had a guest room fully furnished, a bedroom, couches and a 75-inch TV in the basement.”
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