HOUSTON – Water, water everywhere but not a drop to drink. That is the story of one family in Northside Village that has been dealing with flooding caused by a water main break for months now.
They tell KPRC 2′s Deven Clarke they’ve made countless attempts to get the city to fix the issue with no success.
When this first started months ago the family says there wasn’t that much water, but it almost looks like a small river now. With several disabilities making it even harder to get around they say they are desperate for help.
“This began late November of 2023 and at first it was very little bit of water,” said Mia Alvarez whose grandmother lives in the home.
Some 3 months later, her 74-year-old grandmother, Socorro Alvarez who mostly uses a walker to get around, now has to wear rain boots just to leave her inundated property.
It’s all because of a growing water main leak outside her home on Common St. Despite drowning the city with calls, she and her granddaughter Mia say the city has failed to fix the problem.
“They say they’ve been short-staffed and there’s only so much they can do,” Mia said.
The family literally has to walk a plank to get out of their home.
“My grandma, found some wood in the back house and she put it over the water as much as she could,” Mia said.
KPRC 2 did a test and put an empty gallon jug at the source of the water it was mostly filled in less than a minute.
Mia’s 17-year-old sister is in a wheelchair due to cerebral palsy, if Mia isn’t around, that means their grandmother has to bring her in the house after school. Today she almost fell trying to walk the plank to get to the bus.
For Socorro Alvarez, wheeling her disabled granddaughter through the water and muddy mess is another daunting task in itself.
Clarke called Houston Public Works and got some answers.
The Public Works official we spoke to says he promises to have the work order expedited and hopes to have this issue resolved by Tuesday at the latest. We’re going to stay on top of this and bring you more information as it becomes available.