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1. Sewer Backup at 215 Buttercup LoopJanuary 29, 2007 Jim Patrick City Manager of Kalispell City Hall Kalispell, MT Dear Jim Patrick, My name is David Girardot and I live at 215 Buttercup Loop in Kalispell. I have a serious problem that needs your immediate attention. Recently my neighbor was installing faoter drains along side of their house and damaged a 4" PVC line running under ground an their property. The contractor who was installing the drains called the city and the developer/builder of our homes and asked if it could be a sewer line from another house. He was told by the city that all sewer lines must stay an the property of the house the line services and Scott Sladek (the developer of the subdivision and builder of both houses) told him that the line was an extra line they had ran at one point and to go ahead and cap the line off or leave it as is. The contractor decided to leave it as is and back -filled the damaged line. A couple of days later I had sewage back up in my finished area of my basement. The contractor was nice enough to came out on a Sunday and excavate the line and tried to repair it by cutting out the section that was collapsed and inserting a new section that was held in place with 4" rubber pipe connectors. Yesterday sewage started to back up into our basement again. This time I called Roto- rooter out and the service man inspected the pipe and told me that the dirt had settled around the area of the repair and that the pipe is actually broken because he had found mud on the end of the snake. We now have spent over $600 in service calls and the Moto -rooter service man told me it was only a matter of time before the solid waste would clog the pipe and back up the sewage into my home again. I have three children under the age of five and do not know what to do. We purchased our home believing that the city has building codes to protect us against circumstances just like this. The contractor and I called the City Public Works Department to come inspect the situation. They informed us by inserting a camera into the main line that my septic line was run across my property and across the neighbor's property where the two lines are connected together and then run to the sewer main. They also informed me that this is a violation of city building codes. A short time later I received a letter from the City Public Works Department that I was responsible to pay to have the line moved back on to my property and connected to the main. I have talked to a couple of contractors and have been told that the cost could easily exceed $15,1000. We do not have the money for the work to be done and will likely have sewage backing up into our house again. We need help. we currently do not have a house that we feel safe living in. we have three kids that need to use the bathroom and we do not feel life we can use the facilities without the risk of sewage backing up. we do not have the money to fix the problem and did not create the problem. Please note the attached letter from the Public works Department. Your immediate attention to this problem would be appreciated. Sincerely, David Girardot Home 756-1461 Work 751-4327 Cell 212-0112 CC** Mayor of Kalispell Kalispell City Council Members Mw, r<Sw <r.r. Clu 1 o� SIN � � . . .. Post Office Box 1 997, Kalispell, Montana 593-1997 - Telephone 4�55-7720 p p ) . Fax 406 758-78' 1 ��: •'�-�:����`� ,���-Fyn:-•::., �.:�.,'. 1 October 20, 2006 Mr, & Mrs. Dav(p (jirardot 215 Buttercup Lc�.op Kalispell, MT 5"01 RE: Illegal Sewer Connection for 215 Buttercup I oop Dear Mr. & Mrs. Chrardot, During an ernergetacy call -out for 219 Buttercup Loop it was discovered that the surer service line for your home at 215 Buttercup loop is conned.oted to the sewer service 111"ie for 219 Buttercup r Loop. City utility rules and regulations require ea'h property e to have a separz�,6 sewer and water P connection. At the time yob ,tr home was constructed it appeaxs that the builder failed to it`lstall a separate service tap for your parcel and instead made an improper connection to the c&rvice "Y" for 219 Buttercup. w�J do not know why this was done because all the proper conne#ction fees were paid for your property and also for the property at'19 Buttercup. This condition must be corrected as soon as possible by installing a separates service into the main to serve your property. No additional connection fees are required because all were paid at the time thcu. original work was done. This xfvork must be done by a licensedt plumber and inspected by the City before closure of the excavation. I have ene�losed a copy of the diagram prepared by our Sewer Division which shows what has taken place. If you have any questions 01� concerns, please feel free to call our office at 75 8-7720 and we -ill be glad to assist you. Sincere y. Barbara Sullivan Administrative Coordinator cc: City Attorney