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Summer Hill Neighbors Worried About Sliding Hillside

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- About 10 families in Summer Hill are worried about the rain and the hillside that is creeping toward their homes.

The homes are located on Mt. Troy Extension.

"I'm sick – I'm sick at it because I've been here for 44 years and that's what happened," Joann Sabolovic, a homeowner, said. "We've never had anything happen like that before."

The sliding hillside has already crushed the Sabolovic's backyard shed and is still moving towards their home.

Ken Sabolovic estimates the hillside has moved 12-to-15 feet since Wednesday. Next door, Mark Christopher can hear the wall of mess crawling towards his house.

Above their homes, 93-year-old Alice Schultz is losing her backyard. "You can't get any insurance for this kind of stuff," she said.

The neighbors are blaming leaks from water lines that run under Scherling Street.

Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority crews were working on another leak about a half block away.

"Somebody's responsible for this because it's not just from rain," Joan Sabolovic said.

PWSA spokeswoman Melissa Rubin says that's exactly what it is because tests of the water have found no traces of chemicals used in city water.

"It really has nothing to do with the PWSA at this point," she said.

"You call the city, the city tells you it's the water. You call the water, they tell you it's the city," Sabolovic said. "We have nobody to turn to."

Rubin says it's private property.

"It's going to be the homeowner's responsibility to make whatever repairs are necessary," she said.

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Pittsburgh Water & Sewer Authority

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