Lincoln, Nebraska to Pay $127K to Homeowners for Sewage Flood Damage

The city of Lincoln, Neb., is paying thousands to more than a dozen homeowners whose basements were flooded with sewage.

A water main break in the Belmont neighborhood of north Lincoln early New Year’s Day filled a nearby manhole and caused the sewer to back up into the basements of 21 homes.

Assistant city attorney Marcee Brownlee tells the Lincoln Journal Star that the city is paying claims because it knew there was a problem with the water main. On Aug. 27, the same water main broke, filling up the same manhole.

The city is paying $127,000 for 16 of the 20 claims. The four other claims remain in dispute.

Claims approved so far range from $1,117 to $21,569.

And this summer, the 40-year-old water main will be replaced.