“It Was Insane: Valley Home Deluged by Water Main Break in Front Yard”

The Bateman family reported a water main leak to the City of Phoenix hours before it erupted, severely damaging their home.

PHOENIX — An unfortunate turn of events unfolded over the weekend for the Bateman family in Laveen. Despite their efforts to alert city officials, a leaking water main caused significant damage to their home.

“It was crazy,” Lindsay Bateman mentioned, reflecting on how a simple leak escalated into a major issue.

Having lived in the neighborhood for 19 years, Lindsay noticed the leak right in front of their house on Friday night. She promptly reported it to the City of Phoenix, who assured her that workers would arrive on Monday.

While urging the city for a quicker response, Lindsay was told the problem wasn’t immediately urgent. Just hours later, the situation worsened.

Awakened by a roar, the Bateman family found themselves in the midst of a disaster. The water main had burst, transforming the minor leak into a geyser of water and debris, shattering windows and flooding both floors of their home.

Debris, including rock, broken glass, and asphalt, flew into the house. The impact was immediate and severe, as Andrew Bateman described. The family scrambled to save what they could, while ensuring their safety amidst the chaos.

“We were just soaking wet,” recalled Lindsay. The ordeal lasted nearly two hours before city workers arrived to shut off the water.

The extensive damage left no room in their house unaffected. Flooding necessitated the removal of carpet, tile, and even parts of the ceiling to prevent mold. The restoration, they were told, could take up to 90 days.

Lindsay spoke of the immense stress, balancing their full-time jobs with the new demands of dealing with the aftermath. The Batemans hope to secure a rental home by next week. Despite the upheaval, they expressed gratitude for the city’s involvement in the restoration process.

A City of Phoenix spokesperson confirmed the event as a water main break occurring early Saturday morning. The water infrastructure failure prompted immediate action from the Water Services Department’s risk management team.

The spokesperson explained that the break was a natural occurrence. Potential causes include weak pipe sections or environmental conditions. The city’s adjusters arrived the next day to assist the Batemans, working to arrange temporary housing for the family.

Reflecting on the situation, Lindsay wished she had pushed harder for a quicker response from the city. “If I could go back and do it over again, I would have not accepted ‘we’ll come out on Monday,” Lindsay stated. “I would have kept calling until they came out sooner.”