West Fargo couple deals with contaminated water from construction

West Fargo, ND (WDAY TV) - A West Fargo couple is considering filing a lawsuit after a construction project sickened them with e-coli. This isn't the first time that project has led to concern. Just weeks ago, the river bank collapsed, threatening a nearby home. WDAY 6 Reporter Travis Skonseng has the story.

Work is picking up along 32nd Avenue south and Sheyenne Street, one month after a delay. Even more than traffic trouble, this project is now blamed for a serious health scare.

“It’s detrimental to our health.”

66-year old Larry Wacha is living what he calls a nightmare, not knowing if his or his wife's health is even more at risk.

“We have been feeling sickly and have had diarrhea for the entire month we've been drinking it.”

Last month, construction crews hit a water main while digging. Crews hooked up a fire hose to hydrant to connect eight homes including Wacha's to a water line.

“We have complained about rotten, stinking water. The taste wasn't any good.”

Nothing was done so Wacha took matters into his owns hands. He sent a water sample to the health department and got this emergent message back.

“There was e-coli in that water, don't drink the water.”

The plate count was over and above what they could even test. City leaders admit to finding a positive test and say they fixed the problem. Workers delivered water to homeowners.

“Then we went and re-chlorinated the lines and did subsequent tests that passed. Now we got people back on.”

They aren't sure what led to the bacteria. It could have been how the sample was taken or the container, but that fire hose appears to be the cause. Officials say it shouldn't have been used more than a couple days. This was in for weeks.

“For short term, ended up being a little longer than intended to have hooked up, typically it's not used.”

Wacha says no one is telling him anything. He says his neighbors have also felt sick and he may file a lawsuit for negligence.

“No I won't if I find out for sure, real positive that nothing's going to be bothering us the rest of our lives.”

Homeowners have lost water twice in the last month. It came back on this afternoon. Wacha says it was brown. The city will test it tomorrow morning. It says no one else in West Fargo should be affected by e-coli.

Another family living nearby says the project is creating even more problems on their property. Delight Swingen's lawn is littered with holes, some nearly four feet deep.

She says the holes started forming a few weeks ago. The city blames them on tree roots, but Swingen says she's never had a problem with holes before the project. As we told you last month, the Swingen's have hired a lawyer. They want the city to buy all of their property.

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