Residents in Lexington County Frustrated Over Utility Damage
In the charming neighborhood of Lexington County, residents are feeling a wave of frustration after a fiber optic company unintentionally caused significant utility and road damage last week. This mishap, which stems from a subcontractor working for Lumos Fiber, has left many locals wondering when their lives will return to normal.
Incident Overview
The trouble began on Wednesday, September 11, when the subcontractors struck a water main line while conducting work in the Murraywood subdivision, an area that’s quickly becoming a hot topic among residents. The incident led to a dramatic sinkhole appearing right by Annette Briggs’ front yard. To add to her woes, both her garage and driveway are now completely blocked.
“I looked out the window, and it was literally almost like a river in the road,” Annette explained in a recent interview. “The road really just swelled up and water was just coming out everywhere, two or three places.” The chaos took place on **Willowbend Court**, where the water started pooling beneath the pavement after a water line was struck at the top of a hill. Nearby residents reported that a section of the road actually collapsed under the weight of a Columbia Water truck.
Neighborhood Chaos
The situation escalated as water rushed downhill, lifting parts of the road and creating what many called a fault line. The impact was severe enough that several homes went without water for portions of the day, and residents on Willowbend Court were left dealing with discolored water for approximately 24 hours.
In response to the damage, Lexington County promptly issued a stop work order to Lumos. They communicated via email saying that it was “in the best interest to cease work immediately in Lexington County due to the damages done in the Murraywood Subdivision.” The county has since requested a Corrective Action Plan from Lumos, requiring them to address the issue before any further construction can continue.
Accountability and Responsibility
Columbia Water has taken ownership of the issue, explaining that the utility line was marked incorrectly. Clint Shealy, the Assistant City Manager for Columbia Water, clarified that typically, a tracer wire helps pinpoint the location of water lines underground. However, due to the lack of tracer wire in this particular subdivision, it seems that there were some inaccuracies in their markings. “We thought the water line was in one location, but it didn’t travel the straight path,” he elaborated.
Fortunately for residents, Columbia Water will not be making an insurance claim against Lumos but is instead committed to fixing the damage themselves.
Ongoing Struggles for Residents
For Annette and her neighbors, the issue has created ongoing inconveniences. “I have to walk through my heels in all this gravel, and I’m tracking mud in my car and my house,” she lamented. “I go in and out of my garage every day. I can’t use it. It’s not accessible at all now.”
The frustrations are heightened by the fact that residents have had to pick up their mail from the post office on Broad River Road, as the USPS workers are unable to navigate the perilous sinkhole area. Many locals feel left in the lurch, wondering why repairs have been slow to begin. “Not important, like it’s not a priority,” Annette said, voicing her concerns that her neighborhood has been forgotten.
Moving Forward
Columbia Water is hopeful that repairs will occur sometime this week, provided that weather conditions permit. “We apologize that this happened,” Shealy noted, expressing their desire to rectify the situation. “We do our best to mark our utilities, we’re doing our best to coordinate with the folks that are putting this infrastructure in.”
Lumos has also issued a statement acknowledging the inconvenience caused and assuring the community that they will address the matter with the water company. They noted their commitment to meeting all safety and compliance standards before resuming work.
While this isn’t the first time Lumos has faced challenges in the area, residents remain hopeful that improvements in communication and coordination will lead to a swift resolution. In the meantime, they eagerly await updates and a return to normalcy in their beloved neighborhood.
