HARRIS COUNTY, Texas — We are digging deeper to get answers for homeowners facing thousands of dollars in damages after a storage tank explosion dumped water into their homes.
The storage tank area’s legal counsel denied their property damage claims over two words: governmental immunity.
We heard the concerns our viewers had on the topic and went to get answers on what this immunity means.
The cleanup continues for two northwest Harris County families after the Reid Road Municipal Utility District No. One’s storage tank’s July explosion sent gallons of water into their homes.
“What do we do now? Live upstairs? I mean, we saved but we didn't save to rebuild a home. Now we have to,” Janet Steiner said.
Janet and her husband Michael live next door to Kevin Jennings. Both families are picking up the pieces after the incident.
On Wednesday, two words rocked their recovery process: governmental immunity. According to the MUD’s legal counsel, the area is a state unit and therefore protected from paying property damage claims.
“It's just terrible for us as the taxpayers and as citizens,” Jennings said.
After speaking with both families, we heard from you, our viewers. Questions were asking what exactly governmental immunity covers.
“Governmental immunity is essentially a law that allows governmental entities like school districts and cities to escape liability from claims and lawsuits. But there are many exceptions to governmental immunity,” attorney Richard Weaver said.
Weaver said those exceptions can include if a governmental entity’s real or personal property causes harm to another or if there is a premises defect that causes harm.
“Here we have a premises defect in the form of a water storage tank,” Weaver said.
Weaver said even if you see something, like the storage tank, being built after you move into your home it’s critical to check into it.
“Unfortunately, there's not much that a property owner can do other than keep watch over the situation,” Weaver said.
Both families said the storage tank was built after they moved into their homes. They said they were initially they were told it would be a park.
Weaver said in his legal opinion the responsibility for what happened does lie with Reid Road Municipal Utility District Number One.
“I believe in my legal opinion that there is an exception in this case,” Weaver said.