South Dakota City Ordered to Pay Homeowners for Flood Damage

A judge has ordered the city of Sioux Falls, South Dakota to pay $147,000 to four homeowners for damage from 2004 flooding.

The homeowners sued the city after untreated wastewater backed up into their homes.

A storm over the 2004 Memorial Day weekend produced 3.5 to 4.5 inches of rain, followed by a storm less than three weeks later with up to 8 inches of rain. Basements and streets flooded and sewage backed up in some basements.

The homeowners’ lawsuit says the city didn’t design, build, maintain or inspect its sanitary sewer and stormwater systems.