Homeowners suing township for sewage backup

GEORGETOWN TWP., Mich. (NEWSCHANNEL 3) - Some Ottawa county homeowners who watched as sewage filled their basements last year are now banding together in a lawsuit.

They're suing Georgetown Township for more than $1 million in damages, after their homes were affected by sewage backups in both September and December.

Now nearly 10 months since the first backup, many people are still struggling to clean up their homes, like Marcia Dykhouse.

Dykhouse's damage estimates are over $100,000, and insurance won't cover it. Last fall, Georgetown Township spent $168,000 to have contractors strip out the sewage-soaked materials in the homeowners' basements, but all claims to the township's insurance for repair have been denied.

"(I) had to clean out this mess and spend a week out in the driveway cleaning, sorting through miserable, stinking, wet things, and maybe they would change their minds and be more sympathetic," said Dykhouse.

The Georgetown Township supervisor told Newschannel 3 over the phone that the township doesn't dispute that the homeowners suffered, but didn't address the lawsuit.

The attorney representing the homeowners hopes to have this case settled out of court within 12 months.