Taken to Court: Ross Suing West View Water

Ross Township has followed through on a threat, made last August, to sue West View Water to recover the costs of repairing roads damaged by water main breaks.

According to the lawsuit, the township is seeking more than $164,000 in unreimbursed repairs, plus attorney's fees, interest, and costs.

"It's been frustrating, to say the least, trying to either get West View Water to make the road repairs, or reimburse the township for repairs we had to make," said Township manager Douglas Sample. "It's unfortunate that it's gotten to the point that we have to do go court."

Back in August, Commissioner John Sponcer said the repairs West View Water does make are substandard. 

"That's always the issue, they leave a 2-by-2 or 2-by-4 patch, but the residual damage behind it or in front of it, they don't want to fix. First avenue, there was a sinkhole probably a foot and a half deep and they could have cared less about it. We tried to meeting with them, but nothing,” he said. “The only way to get their attention is to file a lawsuit.”

In its lawsuit, the township points to four township roads damaged by water main breaks, in which the township ultimately paid for the repairs.

• Lincoln Avenue, Jan. 2012, $15,420
• Cherrington Drive, July 2012, $26,430
• Cardiff Road, Dec. 2011, $37,267
• Beuhner Drive, July 2012, $88,520

The township bases its lawsuit on a Commonwealth court decision, upheld by the State Supreme Court, which ruled that West View Water must repair state-owned roads, damaged by water main breaks, to PennDOT standards.