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Mopping up
(by Brian Jarvis - November 11, 2008)
For University City resident Fareedah Sidqui, coping with the loss of personal belongings that range from clothes and computers to her son’s military memorabilia is hard enough.
Trying to recoup insurance money from the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is even more frustrating.
As one of thousands displaced by flash floods in mid-September, caused by remnants of Hurricane Ike, Sidqui’s basement was ruined by more than four feet of sewage, bursting her water heater and wrecking countless valuables. Because of health-and-safety concerns, she then had to live with a relative for five weeks.
At the height of the storm, nearly seven inches of rain came down on the region in a three-hour time span. Two University City residents drowned while trying to move their cars during the storm.
Sidqui vividly recalls hearing the clamor of the rainfall and the water invading her house.
“At first I thought I was being burglarized,” said Sidqui, whose home sits directly behind a creek connecting to the River Des Peres, whose banks overflowed during the storm. “I wasn’t even dressed yet. I came downstairs with a knife in one hand and a hammer in the other, but then I saw all this water. It was halfway into my yard and the streets were flooded out. I had my entire office downstairs. Now everything is gone.”
Tallying the damage to her home at $8,000 — at least that which can be measured monetarily — Sidqui is fighting to obtain compensation from MSD, which has a program offering a maximum of $2,400 to victims who experienced sewage backups. Both property owners and renters are eligible for separate claims, including apartment dwellers.
Sidqui’s claim was denied, however, on the basis that damages were inflicted by overland flooding, not sewer backup. She has since appealed.
“MSD said they assumed [the damage] was due to overland flooding, but no one ever came out to look at my home,” said Sidqui, who lives in the 6900 block of Roberts Avenue at border of University City and Pagedale. “All of us on the block have gotten denial letters. But you can see where the water came up and where it receded. The marks are there.”
MSD sent work crews into neighborhoods within four to six hours of receiving calls to examine sewer systems, in addition to studying flood plain and rainfall data, said spokesman Lance LeComb. Overland flooding usually leaves telltale signs such as high-water marks and debris.
“We don’t need to visit a home to make a determination,” LeComb said. “It’s never been like that. If we visited every home, we would need until next year. Some may criticize the approach, but our manpower was overwhelmed. We’re never 100 percent accurate, which is why we have an appeals process in place.”
Of 6,300 calls reporting basement backup, MSD has paid or will pay 3,800 claims, LeComb said. Of 2,100 claims denied, at least a third are under appeal. Total costs, which also include fixing damaged equipment and utilities, will likely cost MSD between $8 million and $10 million.
“We’re doing our best to get checks to people and we’ll look at the appeals process very carefully,” said MSD Executive Director Jeff Theerman, speaking at a recent University City City Council meeting. “The process continues as we recover from this event, and it continues diligently.”
University City officials, however, lambasted MSD for sticking to a 30-day maximum grace period for victims to file claims — and questioned whether more could have been done to prevent flooding in the first place, by removing brush and overgrowth from the creeks, for instance.
“Why is the burden of proof on the resident?“ asked council member Lynn Ricci, who represents the Second Ward. Though her home was not badly damaged, many of her constituents, especially those living along Wilson Avenue, were not as lucky. Ricci said she is exasperated with the situation and wants to know why MSD has been so “aloof” in dealing with the situation.
MSD officials, however, insist the September flood and the issues brought with it are beyond the realm of MSD or any local authority — and that their insurance is meant to be supplemental, not to replace flood or basement backup insurance obtained through a homeowner’s or renter’s policy.
“Our sympathy goes out to the families,” Theerman said. “But it’s important to understand that it’s not a failure of maintenance or design. There is not an engineering solution. A 100-year flood is an extreme event beyond the capacity of any local government. And we are not a disaster-relief agency.”
But residents such as Ester Moore, whose son was forced to live in his car for a period following the flood, aren’t buying it.
“I know that MSD cannot replace people’s homes, but I think they should be held responsible,” said Moore, who plans to move to Bel-Ridge after flooding caused $70,000 in damages to her Westover Avenue residence. “They should give people who have lost everything their money without them having to put a fight. University City is a great area to live in. But people can’t keep going through this. If it floods, you have to fix it.”
To assist victims, University City has paid more than $350,000 for services such as trash removal, and has waived fees for building inspections and storage facilities. Those who wish to file a claim with MSD but missed the 30-day deadline are encouraged to contact city officials at 505-8531.
University City is also “exploring legal options” on behalf of victims, but City Manager Julie Feier said she could not disclose further details.
Richard Dockett, spokesperson for the St. Louis Area Concerned Taxpayers, said that his organization has assisted 300 victims to address needs as varied as food and health care.
“We’re asking every St. Louis, state and federal government to be more attentive to the needs of citizens,” said Dockett.
If there is any consensus between MSD and University City, it’s that outside help is desperately needed. The federal government announced last month its intent to provide $5 million to $7 million to Missouri flood victims from last May and June. Whether additional funding will become available for September’s flood victims remains to be seen.
“MSD is just one issue,” said Ricci. “Many residents are not insured, or else they’re insured and now their insurance company is balking. Even if they get the $2,400 from MSD, that’s not going to make a dent. And where the heck is the water going to go? Nowhere but over the banks. We need a long-term solution.”
University City is now seeking to partner with other municipalities to obtain state and federal funding. MSD has supported similar efforts with research and funding but is not directly involved.
“I think the consensus is that home buyouts are the ultimate solution, but that would cost tens of millions of dollars and only FEMA” — the Federal Emergency Management Association — “has those kind of resources,” LeComb said.
As for Sidqui, she has retained an attorney in the event that her appeal is denied. Her own insurance covered only about $1,000 in clean-up work.
“I have a new appreciation for people who lived through Hurricane Katrina,” said Sidqui. “A lot of people are still in shock and still processing what happened. I’m hoping the [state or federal] government will buy my home, because I feel we were tricked and sold property without being made aware that we live in a flood plain. These houses should have been torn down. If I had any idea it was going to be like this, I would’ve moved.”
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