COPPERAS COVE, Texas — Robbie Marion, now 80-years-old, has lived in Copperas Cove since the 1970s. Her home suddenly flooded Monday night after a city water pipe burst around 8 p.m. Marion said she first saw the water rushing by the back door.
"It was horrible. It was just like a river back there," Marion said. "I opened the door and was like 'It's not raining. What's happening?"
Marion called police and eventually an officer told her to leave the house for safety. Marion said the flooding continued for four and a half hours and her kitchen, living room, bedroom, and hallway started to fill up with water.
A week later, Marion is facing thousands of dollars in restoration costs and has no idea how she is going to pay for it. She told 6 News her homeowners insurance denied her claim, because the flooding came from outside her home.
"I don't own that water line. When my insurance came out they said 'if it would have been on your property, then we could have helped you,' but it's on city property," Marion said.
Christina Camargo, who lives two homes down, also had flooding damage in multiple rooms. Camargo said she used every towel and sheet she had to try and keep the water out, but the water also going around her home and coming in her driveway.
"Police officers were in the garage standing in ankle-deep water, trying to let us know they would let the city know what is happening," Camargo said.
Camargo also told 6 News city staff couldn't turn off the water when they needed to.
"There was a city worker who came down the street. He talked to me a little bit and told me there was something wrong with the turnoff up the street. He said the city needs to address it because something is wrong," Camargo said. "They were unable to shut the water off."
Both homeowners now face thousands of dollars in home restoration costs. Local restoration company Dynaclean has been working to clean up the homes since Tuesday and Operations Manager Glenn Vallejo said restoration services of a job this size could run over $10,000. The company has only charged the homeowners the initial cost to come out so far.
Marion, in particular, lost most of her carpet.
Marion made multiple calls to the City of Copperas Cove and also visited city offices multiple times. She was eventually able to speak to Copperas Cove City Manager Ryan Haverlah on Tuesday. Marion said Haverlah did not have any solutions for her.
"The only thing he told me was that the city was immune and he told me things that were going on in the city," Marion said. "I asked him, 'I was standing in two inches of water, and you all can't do anything?'"
Haverlah also told 6 News on the phone that the city was protected by "sovereign immunity."
He later proved an emailed response to 6 News:
"The City of Copperas Cove has submitted the damage claims to our insurance carrier, Texas Municipal League Intergovernmental Risk Pool. TML-IRP has denied the claims as the City did not cause the event (water main break). However, our crews stopped and repaired the water main break in a timely manner. We received notification of water running through homes on Carlton at approximately 8:30 p.m. on September 12. The water was diverted and eventually turned off to the broken water main by 10:30 p.m. Our repair crews noted at approximately midnight on September 12, even after water was diverted and turned off, that water continued to flow downhill as a result of the water that saturated the area, but was not continuing to flow from the broken main as it was turned off by 10:30 p.m," Haverlah stated.
The homeowners 6 News spoke to do not believe taking 2 hours to turn off the water was "a timely manner."
Marion said she will be taking the issue to the City Council.