ST. LOUIS PARK, Minn. — Beleaguered homeowners in St. Louis Park may get some relief after a large water main burst over the weekend, causing significant flooding in dozens of basements.
At an emergency meeting Wednesday night the St. Louis Park city council voted to establish a $300,000 reimbursement fund to help an estimated 50 to 56 homeowners impacted by the infrastructure failure. Those homes are located on Quebec, Sumter and Rhode Island Avenues just off Minnetonka Boulevard.
The fund will provide up to $30,000 per impacted homeowner to make sure that their houses are are safe, healthy and habitable. During the meeting councilmembers also directed city staff to consider additional measures to help in the recovery effort.
Affected residents are invited to a public meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday, May 26, at Lenox Community Center, 6715 Minnetonka Blvd., St. Louis Park. There, they will learn details about the reimbursement process and other available resources that may help in the recovery process.
City public works crews were dispatched around 7 a.m. Saturday after being notified of the water main break between Texas and Sumter Avenues South. The water supply was immediately shut off, but not before a large volume of uncontrolled water entered the sanitary sewer, pushing its way into the basements of nearby homes.
The city called the break "unprecedented" in terms of its impact on residents.
“As we continue to understand the scope of the damage, we are moving quickly to determine how we can best assist homeowners to ensure their lives are returned to normal as quickly as possible,” said St. Louis Park Mayor Jake Spano in a released statement.
City staff have gone door to door sharing information in the days since the water main break on submitting insurance claims, safe cleanup procedures and when crews will be by to pick up damaged and water-soaked items and debris. They emphasize that the break did not impact the St. Louis Park water supply and that water remains safe to drink.
Anyone with additional questions about the incident and how to get help can call the city of St. Louis Park at 952-924-2500.
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