Municipality taken to court over homes damaged by pile rot

DORDRECHT - Owners of homes damaged by so-called pile rot are taking the municipality to court in a test case. They claim that the city, through proven poor maintenance of leaking drains and sewers, is responsible for lowering the groundwater levels in some older neighbourhoods, which exposes the pre-1940 piles, causing these to gradually rot away. The municipality already has paid $9,000 to each home owner as relief for repair costs, but denies any responsibility, stating that home owners carry their own liability. The average repair costs have been estimated at around $83,000 for each foundation.