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Longview resident describes December sewage flood, says city cleanup left home uninhabitable and requests additional aid
Summary
At the Jan. 23 meeting resident Judy Doria described a December sewage backup that she said flooded her entire house and left it uninhabitable; she said the city provided cleanup assistance but that she needs about $130,000 to rebuild and is asking council for help.
Judy Doria, a Longview resident, told the council during the public-comment period that her house at 1502 Walter Street flooded with city sewage after returning from a December vacation.
Doria said the home was contaminated with sewage and other material “wall to wall,” that a flood-restoration contractor responded twice, and that contaminated materials to a depth of about two feet were removed. She described the house as uninhabitable: “I have no walls. I have no bathtub. I have no shower,” she said.
Doria said the city provided cleanup assistance and that the city agreed to cover roughly a third of rebuilding costs; she said she has received estimates of $130,000 to restore the home. She also said she expects about $3,000 in environmental expenses related to health and sanitation. During public comment she said, “They've offered us 50. We need 130 to restore our lives and our house.”
Doria asked the council for additional help to restore the home and said many personal items, including clothing and a wedding dress, were lost or ruined. The transcript records no immediate council response to Doria’s request other than the mayor thanking her for speaking; the council did not take an action during that meeting to provide additional funds.
