Drainage Project Causing Toxic Mold

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Drainage Project Causing Toxic Mold

Dianne Derby

WSAV News 3

Thursday, January 19, 2006

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Savannah,GA

The family is just yards away from where construction of Phase

I of the Casey South Drainage Basin project is continuing on Harmon

Street. They said this project is what is responsible for creating

large cracks that have damaged their home. Now they say those cracks

have allowed water leak into their home which encouraged mold to

grow. Their evidence--documents from a mold testing company that

indicate their home has high levels of a several forms of mold in

the air--one of which can cause severe health problems.

" The entire den now has moved away from the house by in some areas

over an inch, " said Heath .

The cracks in Heath and 's home have gotten so big that

now the outside world is starting to come in.

" You can literally stand here some times and watch little bugs crawl

through crawl in and crawl out, " said Heath.

But that's not the worst of it. The 's said water has seeped

into their home causing dangerous forms of mold--stachybotrys and

aspergilus--to contaminate the air. (The Centers for Disease Control

website indicates stachybotrys can cause a range of problems from

nasal stuffiness and eye irritation to fever and shortness of

breath.)

" You wake up exhausted we have headaches sinus infection on top of

sinus infection, " said .

They said they both have been treated by doctors for respiratory

problems they've never had before.

" It's like throwing yourself into an allergic frenzy every time you

are in that environment, " said Heath.

And after coping with health problems and unexpected bills now all

they want is to make sure the city makes their home whole again.

Savannah Citizen Liaison Broker said the city will make sure

the homes are repaired.

" Without question the city is going to hold the contractor

accountable, " said Broker. " They're going to hold them responsible.

The city is going to be there every step of the way. "

But in case they don't get help from the city the 's decided to

hire an attorney to make sure they do.

" There's taking care of and there's taking care of, " said

Heath. " Right now we have thousands of dollars in bills we are

sitting on that we haven't seen any kind of reimbursement for. "

Broker said several other home owners have complained of mold

problems but they have only confirmed mold in one.

The project superintendent for The Industrial Company, Chuck Hucks,

said the company has done everything it can to prevent damage to the

homes. Hucks said he could not comment on the 's mold problem

until a company they hire tests the home for mold. That testing is

scheduled for Friday afternoon.

Hucks also said TIC has until May of 2006 to complete Phase I of the

project but they expect to be done by March.

The city says public discussions about Phase II of the project will

happen in 60 to 90 days. The dates of those meetings have not been

determined.

If you think the drainage project is causing problems to your home

you can call the Citizen Liaison's office at 351-6527.