Water Main Break Flooded Brookfield Woman's House: Report

BROOKFIELD, WI — After a water main break flooded a stretch of S. Elm Grove Drive in Brookfield earlier in January, an area homeowner is asking city officials to cover the cost of damages after her home was flooded. City officials say they're not responsible for damages.

According to Brookfield officials, Kari Driver lives in a house along S. Elm Grove Drive. On Jan. 4, a 12-inch water main ruptured, causing what Brookfield officials called "a significant amount of water flooding the adjacent area."

As the water main break just north of her property poured water into the area, Driver says the water began to enter her basement. Within 30 minutes, her home had a foot of water in the basement, she said.

City officials said local Water Utility personnel responded promptly to the emergency, after they were alerted by Waukesha County dispatch about the break. As workers arrived on-scene that day, they noted water and mud flowing down Elm Grove Road. As workers shut off the necessary water valves, Driver informed them of the flooding to her basement. Workers instructed her to file a claim with the city.

"Although most of our belongings were in plastic bins and on shelving units, this was not enough protection from the foot of water that entered our home," Drover wrote. "Many of the items on the lowest shelves were ruined along with the fiberboard shelves."

Driver said she lost more than just shelves. The water heater also failed.

Documents show that Driver is seeking $3,190 in a claim against the City of Brookfield. When Brookfield officials investigated Driver's claim, they noted that the water main break saturated and partially liquefied the ground, causing the home's foundation system to be overwhelmed.

According to official Common Council meeting documents, Brookfield staff are recommending that they do not pay the amount that Driver is seeking.

"Although the property damage sustained by the claimant is unfortunate, there was no prior
knowledge on the City’s part of a potential hazard, nor any negligence or failure to act on the part of the City that would appear to have caused the incident, which is the standard that must
be applied," officials noted in their report. "Further, as outlined in the City Engineer’s email, the results of their investigation did not indicate that any of the recent projects (City re-paving of Elm Grove Road and Wisconsin DOT replacement of the bridge over Interstate 94) contributed to water entering the claimant’s home."