Valley Home Ravaged by Water Main Break Flood, Homeowners Call It ‘Crazy’

PHOENIX — The Bateman family encountered a disastrous event over the weekend when a water main burst severely damaged their home.

Lindsay Bateman first noticed the leak on Friday night. Despite her urgent calls, the City of Phoenix assured her that repairs would commence on Monday.

“It was crazy,” Lindsay Bateman said, reflecting on the events that transpired.

Living in Laveen for 19 years, the Batemans had never seen anything like this. “I called the city of Phoenix, and I reported a water main leak, and they said they would come out on Monday,” Lindsay said. She urged them to arrive sooner, recognizing the potential for disaster.

Later that night, a deafening roar awoke the family. The water main ruptured, sending torrents of water and debris crashing into their home. “There was rock and broken glass and asphalt flying in,” Andrew Bateman said, recounting the turmoil.

The Batemans scrambled to protect their belongings but were overwhelmed by the flood and debris. The chaos lasted nearly two hours before a city worker managed to shut off the water supply.

The home’s interior was devastated. “There’s no room in the house that wasn’t impacted,” said Lindsay. They faced the grim task of removing carpets, tiles, and parts of the ceiling and walls to stave off mold.

Following the incident, the city’s adjusters arrived the next day to start the restoration process, which could take up to 90 days. The Batemans are now seeking temporary housing and grappling with the stress of an unanticipated full-time job of managing repairs.

A city spokesperson confirmed the water main break early Saturday morning, noting that natural breaks can occur due to several factors, including weak pipe sections and environmental conditions.

Reflecting on the disaster, Lindsay expressed regret for not demanding quicker action. “If I could go back and do it over again, I would have not accepted, ‘we’ll come out on Monday,'” she said. “I would have just kept calling until they came out, not waited till it destroyed my house.”

Andrew and Lindsay remain hopeful as they begin the long process of recovery, acknowledging they still have a challenging journey ahead.