91-year-old woman fighting to get reimbursed after broken water line floods her Pittsburgh home

PITTSBURGH — A broken water line flooded a 91-year-old woman’s Pittsburgh home back in January.

She says the clean-up effort and getting anyone to help has been a nightmare, so she got Chief Investigator Rick Earle on the case.

Ann Sciulli reached out to 11 Investigates after a water line broke in front of her home this past winter, sending water gushing into her garage and basement.

It caused thousands of dollars in damage.

Chief Investigator Rick Earle sat down with Sciulli.

Earle: And the water was everywhere?

Sciulli: Yes it was coming in everywhere.

But Sciulli still has a sense of humor about it all.

“If it wasn’t so sad, it would be laughable,” Sciulli told her Earle while sitting in the living room of her Greenfield home.

After a water line ruptured under the street in front of her home in January, on one of the coldest nights of the year.

Sciulli, her relatives and neighbors documented the break with videos and pictures.

Sciulli said it took the water company hours to stop the flow.

PGH20 confirmed to 11 Investigates that it was a difficult job.

A spokesperson said it required operating five valves on multiple surrounding streets.

It took approximately seven hours to stop the water.

“By that time, everything was flooded. It was two feet high. Tiles were lifting off the floor, and things were floating around in there,” Sciulli said.

The flood waters also got into Sciulli’s car, which was stored in the garage attached to the home.

“When he took this thing on the flatbed, there was water in the back seat of the car. We didn’t even know it and it came rushing out,” Sciulli said.

While the water ruined some of her furniture and other items in the basement, major appliances, like the washer, dryer, furnace and hot water heater, were not damaged.

Sciulli filed a claim for damages with her insurance company, but because the water came from outside the home, they wouldn’t cover it.

She then filed with the PGH20.

They denied the claim, even though they admitted it was their line that broke.

“I said to the woman, you’re happy to collect my check every month, but when it gets down to what I need, you shut me off. I said I don’t think that’s good service,” Sciulli recalled.

11 Investigates reached out to the Pittsburgh Water Authority.

A spokesperson told Earle the claim was denied because there was no notification of any prior issues with the line before the break.

But they did take care of some other problems.

After we reached out to the water company, crews came out and fixed the retaining wall and poured a new sidewalk.

“I said to Linda, I wondered what fired them up to come out here at the last minute and do something,” Sciulli said.

Earle told Sciulli they were likely prompted by an inquiry from 11 Investigates.

Sciulli didn’t have to pay for the sidewalk or retaining wall, but she has had to pay about $10,000 out of her own pocket just to get the water damage cleaned up so she can get to her basement and use the washing machine and dryer, and get to her furnace and water heater.

Earle: Has this been frustrating?

Sciulli: Is the pope catholic?

Earle: This has been a nightmare?

Sciulli: Absolutely. I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy.

While the water authority denied her claim, 11 Investigates reached out to Mayor Corey O’Connor’s office and they are now looking into this.

The mayor nominates members to the board that oversees the water authority.

11 Investigates will continue to monitor this story and provide updates as they become available.

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