Ohio family faces tens of thousands in repairs after hydrant failure and denied insurance claim

Megan Snyder says her family's driveway in Monroe, Ohio, has continued cracking and sinking since water tore through the neighborhood on May 6 after a hydrant on Wyndcrest Court failed during testing, leaving the family with damage they insist they did not cause and a denied insurance claim.

Here's what to know

Footage from May 6 shows water pushing up through cracks in the driveway as it ran across the area. The Snyders say the ongoing problems began when a hydrant on Wyndcrest Court failed during testing.

City officials told WCPO that the hydrant malfunction triggered a pressure surge that caused six water main breaks nearby. The city's Water Department said the hydrant's upper section separated from the lower section while water was flowing, causing a water-hammer spike that likely broke multiple sections of cast-iron water main.

Crews repaired the sections of driveway disturbed when workers excavated to reach the water main system, but homeowner Marty Snyder says the visible damage is not confined to those spots. Megan Snyder's father estimates the full cost could reach tens of thousands of dollars.

An adjuster denied the family's claim through the city's insurance program, citing Ohio's political-subdivision immunity law.

More background

At the property, the reported damage includes uneven concrete, portions of the driveway that were once level but have since sunk or pulled apart, and carport support beams that appear to be lifting from the ground. Those kinds of issues can create safety risks and bring costly repairs.

Ohio law generally shields political subdivisions from certain claims involving injury or property loss. WCPO reported that the operation and maintenance of a municipal water system is considered a proprietary function under Ohio law, and negligence involving proprietary functions can still lead to liability.

What's being done?

Monroe said it reported the claim and assisted in the insurer's investigation. In a statement, the city told WCPO that the Public Entities Pool of Ohio assigned an adjuster to review the matter and determine coverage, adding, "The City does not have input on the claims decisions made by the adjuster."

The Snyders say city crews returned and spread topsoil, seed, and straw over part of the disturbed ground. The crew did not address what they describe as continuing driveway and structural damage.

Marty Snyder criticized, "I'm looking at thousands of dollars in damages, and the city is claiming no responsibility."

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