CLARKSON VALLEY, Mo. — For the second time in about a month, people in Clarkson Valley and Ballwin are cleaning up their basements because of flooded sewage water.
Some of these are families still trying to pay off the damage from last time, which cost some families tens of thousands of dollars.
That includes Tim and Amy Krebs. Last month, they had feet of sewage water in their basement, leaving them with a $17,000 bill to clean up and $42,000 in lost possessions.
On Monday, they woke up to sewage water in their basement. This time, it was only an inch or two. It will only cost them a couple thousand dollars because the basement wasn't fully fixed from the last issue.
The Krebs said they are still reeling from that damage.
"We had to take out a loan to pay for this whole mess," said Amy.
For Charles Obermeyer, it was also his second time dealing with a flooded basement in about a month.
He said he wasn't home but his son called him to tell him. His dogs were down in the basement in a kennel. Obermeyer said they made sure to carefully and safely get their dogs away from the contaminated water.
Obermeyer has flood insurance to cover some of the damage. Last time, it helped with about $20,000 in damage. However, he said he's nervous what could happen now if he files a second claim in about a month.
And he can speak from experience, because professionally, Obermeyer is an insurance agent.
"Guarantee I'll get dropped from my insurance company. Guarantee it. I'll become uninsurable," he said.
Obermeyer and the Krebs want to know why this continues to happen. Obermeyer said he's had his basement flood with sewage water five times since 2015.
They all said Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District should answer for that.
"There's obviously a breach in their system and they need to figure out where the breach is," said Amy Krebs.
An MSD spokesman said that's not the case. He said it was torrential rain last time, and it was the same problem Monday that caused the sewer lines to become full. He said the problem was the weather, not MSD's sewer system.
It's an answer that has not satisfied the Krebs. They have consulted with an attorney and are considering suing MSD.
MSD's spokesman said weeks ago, they reached out to the Krebs to see if they would be interested in a sewer backup valve to help protect the home from a sewer line overcharge during heavy rain. It would be free of charge for the family.
He said the Krebs had not responded. The Krebs said they are considering it still, along with that legal action.
MSD offers $3,000 for families impacted by sewer line overcharges. MSD said the rest would have to be covered by flood insurance, as Five On Your Side has previously reported.
MSD did send a letter to the Krebs after the July's flooding, informing them about projects in the area happening down the line.
"MSD is working Districtwide to remove stormwater from our sanitary sewers in an effort to reduce overcharged sewers during rain events," it reads in part. "This effort to 'get the rain out' will take place in your neighborhood via an upcoming capital project, Valley Public I/I Reduction (Clarkson Rd and Kehrs Mill Rd). The project is starting design this month with construction scheduled to start in early 2021. The project includes rehabilitation of sanitary sewers and manholes in your area."
The letter is signed by Richard Unverferth, the director of engineering at MSD.
Obermeyer said he hopes it happens sooner, because every time it rains, he's concerned his basement will flood.
MSD maintains the issue in July and in August had nothing to do with their sewer system, rather it was the heavy rain that caused the flooding.