[Lincolnparkdc] lincolnparkdc Digest, Vol 67, Issue 33

Tue Apr 30 18:50:50 EDT 2024

Roxanne - I suggest you visit Council Member Charles Allen's website.  He
has a section on "constituents Services" - and how he can help.    The
instructions are clear and easy to follow.  You will need to file a 311
report with the City to start --

Within the past two years,  I had a problem with DMV.  I called, I visited,
I wrote - nothing worked.  Someone suggested that I  check out CM Allen's
website - and i am so glad I did.I    First,  file your complaint with
311.  You will be given a complaint number, Next fill out CM Allen's
constituent request form.  My year of total frustration with DMV was
resolved satisfactorily within 2 weeks.

Your description of your awful experience was well done.....hope the above
information helps.  Good luck!

On Tue, Apr 30, 2024 at 1:48 PM barbara larkin <blarkindc at hotmail.com>
wrote:

> Re: Mess made by DC Water
>
> I am so sorry this happened to you. I had a similar experience several
> years ago. A large pipe that fed 5 houses burst in my front yard causing a
> geyser that spilled into the street. It took 3 days to get anyone to even
> come and repair it.
>
> DC Water promised to repair the damage, and eventually (after several
> calls) sent a contractor to repair the yard. I don’t remember their name
> but it had “Concrete & Paving” in it, which was clearly their expertise.
>
> It was a disaster, similar to yours - beautiful established perennials
> were destroyed, tree damage etc. After numerous calls I just gave up and
> hired someone to dig up the substandard (I am being kind) soil and replace
> it and do their best with the tree - a dogwood that did recover. Then that
> fall and the next spring I  began adding back plants. Huge expense, which I
> was never compensated for.
>
> The only suggestion I can make is to contact your ANC Commissioner and
> your City Council Member’s office. I did not know to do this when I had my
> water problems, but have since on other issues and found both to be very
> helpful in contacting the right people, cutting through red tape, etc.
>
>
> > On Apr 30, 2024, at 12:00 PM, lincolnparkdc-request at lincolnparkdc.info
> wrote:
> >
> > Send lincolnparkdc mailing list submissions to
> >    lincolnparkdc at lincolnparkdc.info
> >
> > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit
> >
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> >
> > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to
> >    lincolnparkdc-request at lincolnparkdc.info
> >
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> >
> > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific
> > than "Re: Contents of lincolnparkdc digest..."
> >
> >
> > Today's Topics:
> >
> >   1. Need help fixing huge mess DC Water left us with (Roxanne Walker)
> >   2. Re: Need help fixing huge mess DC Water left us with (Diana Quinn)
> >
> >
> > ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> > Message: 1
> > Date: Mon, 29 Apr 2024 17:39:27 -0400
> > From: Roxanne Walker <rw99dc at gmail.com>
> > To: lincolnparkdc at lincolnparkdc.info
> > Subject: [Lincolnparkdc] Need help fixing huge mess DC Water left us
> >    with
> > Message-ID:
> >    <CAHcpisCwYuqEhzw71MO_LmT4fSCbj4Jf-++2ws4DJ7MMqZRVgw at mail.gmail.com>
> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"
> >
> > Hi neighbors-
> >
> > We have an issue dating back to when DC Water was replacing lead pipes in
> > the area with copper. After telling us they would only be digging a few
> > inches away from the existing meter, t*hey dug a pit approximately 4x3x4
> > feet. *This is half of our very small front garden. We lost many
> > perennial plantings, most of which were 10-15 years old (hostas, lenten
> > roses, anemones, ground cover, etc.).
> >
> > The hole was dug and work was completed on the day of the bomb cyclone --
> > December 23, 2022. When we went to replant the perennials in the spring
> of
> > 2023 we found (to our horror) that our 2-3 feet of improved soil and the
> > clay that was below that had been taken away and *the hole was filled to
> > the top with a concrete slurry mixture and gravel.*
> >
> > We contacted the contractor who sent a crew back to "fix" the issue. They
> > scraped about six inches off the surface and filled it with what looked
> > like concrete dust. One of the guys who came told me they use that
> material
> > "so the hole settles evenly". When I pointed out that they had also taken
> > out all the roots on one side of our 30-35 year old dogwood, and the tree
> > could not grow into the concrete he said "they wouldn't have done that".
> We
> > could not get them to return to excavate the hole and replace it with
> > actual soil or even respond to further requests for help.
> >
> > A year and a half later, our poor dogwood appears to be dying and the pit
> > remains filled with their junk. We have tried digging out the concrete
> > gravel but realized after we filled one 5-gallon bucket we didn't know
> how
> > to dispose of it. We got an estimate of $1,300 to dig out the pit and
> haul
> > away the fill. That did not include filling the hole with soil. We can't
> > afford that.
> >
> > If you've read this far, thanks, and here are our questions:
> >
> >   - Does anyone know of a process for DC Water or the city to get this
> >   mess resolved?
> >   - Can we get damages for the lost plants, our lost 48 cubic feet of
> >   soil, the disposal of the fill, and, possibly, our dying dogwood tree?
> How?
> >   - How do homeowners get rid of 48 cubic feet of gravel/concrete?
> >
> > We just want to enjoy our little garden again.
> >
> > Thanks for any suggestions.
> > Roxanne, 14th and Mass SE
> > -------------- next part --------------
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> >
> > ------------------------------
> >
> > Message: 2
> > Date: Mon, 29 Apr 2024 21:55:24 -0400
> > From: Diana Quinn <diana at muddypaws.com>
> > To: lincolnparkdc at lincolnparkdc.info
> > Subject: Re: [Lincolnparkdc] Need help fixing huge mess DC Water left
> >    us with
> > Message-ID:
> >    <CAPRaeoPZMu1jbjF0VtP1164ZCOTd-35fHP8AWqnu1RPCJc0Teg at mail.gmail.com>
> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"
> >
> > Roxanne - I am SO sorry that this happened to you. I had my pipes
> replaced
> > ? last year , but they refilled the holes with dirt! And my hostas all
> grew
> > back (well, mostly).  What a shame for you, especially your lovely
> dogwood.
> > You might talk to a lawyer.
> >
> >> On Mon, Apr 29, 2024 at 5:40?PM Roxanne Walker <rw99dc at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> >>
> >> Hi neighbors-
> >>
> >> We have an issue dating back to when DC Water was replacing lead pipes
> in
> >> the area with copper. After telling us they would only be digging a few
> >> inches away from the existing meter, t*hey dug a pit approximately 4x3x4
> >> feet. *This is half of our very small front garden. We lost many
> >> perennial plantings, most of which were 10-15 years old (hostas, lenten
> >> roses, anemones, ground cover, etc.).
> >>
> >> The hole was dug and work was completed on the day of the bomb cyclone
> --
> >> December 23, 2022. When we went to replant the perennials in the spring
> of
> >> 2023 we found (to our horror) that our 2-3 feet of improved soil and the
> >> clay that was below that had been taken away and *the hole was filled to
> >> the top with a concrete slurry mixture and gravel.*
> >>
> >> We contacted the contractor who sent a crew back to "fix" the issue.
> They
> >> scraped about six inches off the surface and filled it with what looked
> >> like concrete dust. One of the guys who came told me they use that
> material
> >> "so the hole settles evenly". When I pointed out that they had also
> taken
> >> out all the roots on one side of our 30-35 year old dogwood, and the
> tree
> >> could not grow into the concrete he said "they wouldn't have done
> that". We
> >> could not get them to return to excavate the hole and replace it with
> >> actual soil or even respond to further requests for help.
> >>
> >> A year and a half later, our poor dogwood appears to be dying and the
> pit
> >> remains filled with their junk. We have tried digging out the concrete
> >> gravel but realized after we filled one 5-gallon bucket we didn't know
> how
> >> to dispose of it. We got an estimate of $1,300 to dig out the pit and
> haul
> >> away the fill. That did not include filling the hole with soil. We can't
> >> afford that.
> >>
> >> If you've read this far, thanks, and here are our questions:
> >>
> >>   - Does anyone know of a process for DC Water or the city to get this
> >>   mess resolved?
> >>   - Can we get damages for the lost plants, our lost 48 cubic feet of
> >>   soil, the disposal of the fill, and, possibly, our dying dogwood
> tree? How?
> >>   - How do homeowners get rid of 48 cubic feet of gravel/concrete?
> >>
> >> We just want to enjoy our little garden again.
> >>
> >> Thanks for any suggestions.
> >> Roxanne, 14th and Mass SE
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> _______________________________________________
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> your
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> > Subject: Digest Footer
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> > End of lincolnparkdc Digest, Vol 67, Issue 33
> > *********************************************
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