A WOMAN whose driveway was left ruined after water gushed over it from a broken pipe for weeks points the finger squarely at city officials.
Mary Trapp of Houston, Texas, has been left thoroughly frustrated throughout the ordeal and now faces potential fines for something that isn’t her fault.
A woman’s driveway was left badly damaged after repairs were made following a pipe burst[/caption]
The woman says water gushed from under her property for weeks – causing issues for her and her neighbors[/caption]
Worse still, the aftermath saw the driveway significantly changed and damaged – causing issues with her HOA[/caption]
The issue began in September 2024, when Mary received a text message from her neighbors describing a suspected leak in her yard as thousands of gallons of water began pouring out from under her driveway and onto the street.
Speaking to KPRC, Mary said: “I figured the leak was connected to a city pipe.”
But after filing a 311 report, she said it took the city over two weeks to fix it – causing further issues for both Mary and her neighbors.
She added: “They simply did not care about the sheer amount of potable water being wasted every day they sat on their hands.”
It was eventually repaired on October 12, 2024, but it left her driveway dug up and filled in with loose gravel – leaving extensive surface damage to her property – while the curb, sidewalk, and mailbox were all destroyed.
This led her to file another 311 work order on October 23, 2024, which she claims was marked as complete—yet nothing happened.
Mary said: “This is not complete.
“Believe it or not, this was not how my driveway was when I bought it a year ago.”
Another issue was with Mary’s mailbox, which had been removed by workmen during the repairs and damaged when returned; lacking proper support, it fell over during windy conditions.
This caused the local mailman to hold several days’ worth of mail due to the mailbox’s instability.
Mary said: “I just wanted the mailbox to be put back properly so I could receive my mail without issues.”
Amidst these unresolved issues, Mary received a letter from her Homeowners Association accusing her of violating the community’s deed restrictions.
This included making unapproved changes to the exterior of her home – including the modifications to her driveway and mailbox – and ordered Mary to return her property to its original condition or submit an application for approval for the changes she had made.
The letter included a reminder about the importance of maintaining the community’s aesthetic standards for the benefit of all homeowners.
The letter added: “We routinely visit the neighborhood and look for items that may need attention.
“When we visited your section of the community, we noticed the following: Violation: Unapproved construction and/or modification.”
This meant, while waiting for the city repairs, she was now facing potential fines or penalties from the HOA.
On this matter, a city spokesperson said: “Houston Water has contacted the homeowner regarding the driveway to address their concerns about the work order being marked as completed.
“While the repair is still pending on our end, we have assured the homeowner that we are actively working to resolve the issue.
“An inspector visited the location today to assess the condition of the driveway.
“Full restoration is expected to be completed by the end of next week (weather permitting).
“We apologize for any inconvenience caused to the homeowner and appreciate their patience as we work to resolve the matter.”
