<div dir="ltr">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 -- <div><br></div><div>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.</div><div><br></div><div>Your description of your awful experience was well done.....hope the above information helps. Good luck!</div><div><br></div><div><br><div><br></div><div><br></div></div></div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Tue, Apr 30, 2024 at 1:48 PM barbara larkin <<a href="mailto:blarkindc@hotmail.com">blarkindc@hotmail.com</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex">Re: Mess made by DC Water<br>
<br>
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. <br>
<br>
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. <br>
<br>
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. <br>
<br>
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. <br>
<br>
<br>
> On Apr 30, 2024, at 12:00 PM, <a href="mailto:lincolnparkdc-request@lincolnparkdc.info" target="_blank">lincolnparkdc-request@lincolnparkdc.info</a> wrote:<br>
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> 1. Need help fixing huge mess DC Water left us with (Roxanne Walker)<br>
> 2. Re: Need help fixing huge mess DC Water left us with (Diana Quinn)<br>
> <br>
> <br>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------<br>
> <br>
> Message: 1<br>
> Date: Mon, 29 Apr 2024 17:39:27 -0400<br>
> From: Roxanne Walker <<a href="mailto:rw99dc@gmail.com" target="_blank">rw99dc@gmail.com</a>><br>
> To: <a href="mailto:lincolnparkdc@lincolnparkdc.info" target="_blank">lincolnparkdc@lincolnparkdc.info</a><br>
> Subject: [Lincolnparkdc] Need help fixing huge mess DC Water left us<br>
> with<br>
> Message-ID:<br>
> <<a href="mailto:CAHcpisCwYuqEhzw71MO_LmT4fSCbj4Jf-%2B%2B2ws4DJ7MMqZRVgw@mail.gmail.com" target="_blank">CAHcpisCwYuqEhzw71MO_LmT4fSCbj4Jf-++2ws4DJ7MMqZRVgw@mail.gmail.com</a>><br>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"<br>
> <br>
> Hi neighbors-<br>
> <br>
> We have an issue dating back to when DC Water was replacing lead pipes in<br>
> the area with copper. After telling us they would only be digging a few<br>
> inches away from the existing meter, t*hey dug a pit approximately 4x3x4<br>
> feet. *This is half of our very small front garden. We lost many<br>
> perennial plantings, most of which were 10-15 years old (hostas, lenten<br>
> roses, anemones, ground cover, etc.).<br>
> <br>
> The hole was dug and work was completed on the day of the bomb cyclone --<br>
> December 23, 2022. When we went to replant the perennials in the spring of<br>
> 2023 we found (to our horror) that our 2-3 feet of improved soil and the<br>
> clay that was below that had been taken away and *the hole was filled to<br>
> the top with a concrete slurry mixture and gravel.*<br>
> <br>
> We contacted the contractor who sent a crew back to "fix" the issue. They<br>
> scraped about six inches off the surface and filled it with what looked<br>
> like concrete dust. One of the guys who came told me they use that material<br>
> "so the hole settles evenly". When I pointed out that they had also taken<br>
> out all the roots on one side of our 30-35 year old dogwood, and the tree<br>
> could not grow into the concrete he said "they wouldn't have done that". We<br>
> could not get them to return to excavate the hole and replace it with<br>
> actual soil or even respond to further requests for help.<br>
> <br>
> A year and a half later, our poor dogwood appears to be dying and the pit<br>
> remains filled with their junk. We have tried digging out the concrete<br>
> gravel but realized after we filled one 5-gallon bucket we didn't know how<br>
> to dispose of it. We got an estimate of $1,300 to dig out the pit and haul<br>
> away the fill. That did not include filling the hole with soil. We can't<br>
> afford that.<br>
> <br>
> If you've read this far, thanks, and here are our questions:<br>
> <br>
> - Does anyone know of a process for DC Water or the city to get this<br>
> mess resolved?<br>
> - Can we get damages for the lost plants, our lost 48 cubic feet of<br>
> soil, the disposal of the fill, and, possibly, our dying dogwood tree? How?<br>
> - How do homeowners get rid of 48 cubic feet of gravel/concrete?<br>
> <br>
> We just want to enjoy our little garden again.<br>
> <br>
> Thanks for any suggestions.<br>
> Roxanne, 14th and Mass SE<br>
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> <br>
> ------------------------------<br>
> <br>
> Message: 2<br>
> Date: Mon, 29 Apr 2024 21:55:24 -0400<br>
> From: Diana Quinn <<a href="mailto:diana@muddypaws.com" target="_blank">diana@muddypaws.com</a>><br>
> To: <a href="mailto:lincolnparkdc@lincolnparkdc.info" target="_blank">lincolnparkdc@lincolnparkdc.info</a><br>
> Subject: Re: [Lincolnparkdc] Need help fixing huge mess DC Water left<br>
> us with<br>
> Message-ID:<br>
> <<a href="mailto:CAPRaeoPZMu1jbjF0VtP1164ZCOTd-35fHP8AWqnu1RPCJc0Teg@mail.gmail.com" target="_blank">CAPRaeoPZMu1jbjF0VtP1164ZCOTd-35fHP8AWqnu1RPCJc0Teg@mail.gmail.com</a>><br>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"<br>
> <br>
> Roxanne - I am SO sorry that this happened to you. I had my pipes replaced<br>
> ? last year , but they refilled the holes with dirt! And my hostas all grew<br>
> back (well, mostly). What a shame for you, especially your lovely dogwood.<br>
> You might talk to a lawyer.<br>
> <br>
>> On Mon, Apr 29, 2024 at 5:40?PM Roxanne Walker <<a href="mailto:rw99dc@gmail.com" target="_blank">rw99dc@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<br>
>> <br>
>> Hi neighbors-<br>
>> <br>
>> We have an issue dating back to when DC Water was replacing lead pipes in<br>
>> the area with copper. After telling us they would only be digging a few<br>
>> inches away from the existing meter, t*hey dug a pit approximately 4x3x4<br>
>> feet. *This is half of our very small front garden. We lost many<br>
>> perennial plantings, most of which were 10-15 years old (hostas, lenten<br>
>> roses, anemones, ground cover, etc.).<br>
>> <br>
>> The hole was dug and work was completed on the day of the bomb cyclone --<br>
>> December 23, 2022. When we went to replant the perennials in the spring of<br>
>> 2023 we found (to our horror) that our 2-3 feet of improved soil and the<br>
>> clay that was below that had been taken away and *the hole was filled to<br>
>> the top with a concrete slurry mixture and gravel.*<br>
>> <br>
>> We contacted the contractor who sent a crew back to "fix" the issue. They<br>
>> scraped about six inches off the surface and filled it with what looked<br>
>> like concrete dust. One of the guys who came told me they use that material<br>
>> "so the hole settles evenly". When I pointed out that they had also taken<br>
>> out all the roots on one side of our 30-35 year old dogwood, and the tree<br>
>> could not grow into the concrete he said "they wouldn't have done that". We<br>
>> could not get them to return to excavate the hole and replace it with<br>
>> actual soil or even respond to further requests for help.<br>
>> <br>
>> A year and a half later, our poor dogwood appears to be dying and the pit<br>
>> remains filled with their junk. We have tried digging out the concrete<br>
>> gravel but realized after we filled one 5-gallon bucket we didn't know how<br>
>> to dispose of it. We got an estimate of $1,300 to dig out the pit and haul<br>
>> away the fill. That did not include filling the hole with soil. We can't<br>
>> afford that.<br>
>> <br>
>> If you've read this far, thanks, and here are our questions:<br>
>> <br>
>> - Does anyone know of a process for DC Water or the city to get this<br>
>> mess resolved?<br>
>> - Can we get damages for the lost plants, our lost 48 cubic feet of<br>
>> soil, the disposal of the fill, and, possibly, our dying dogwood tree? How?<br>
>> - How do homeowners get rid of 48 cubic feet of gravel/concrete?<br>
>> <br>
>> We just want to enjoy our little garden again.<br>
>> <br>
>> Thanks for any suggestions.<br>
>> Roxanne, 14th and Mass SE<br>
>> <br>
>> <br>
>> <br>
>> <br>
>> _______________________________________________<br>
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>> cooperation.<br>
>> <br>
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