Monticello woman fears possible sinkhole forming below her home

MONTICELLO, Minn. (FOX 9) - A homeowner in Monticello, Minnesota is concerned her growing water bill is an indicator of a much bigger problem. 

Seeing the holes where her driveway meets her garage, Sue Bell is a nervous wreck. 

“It’s basically a sinkhole,” Bell said. “I don’t stand that close to it because I’m so nervous, especially when they say don’t park in your driveway or your garage.”

It started when she recently received a water bill significantly higher than the 72 gallons of water per month she averages. 

“31,416 gallons, so I call Pat with the city," said Bell. "She said, ‘Are you filling a pool?’” 

Paying the $92 owed wasn’t the issue. Rather, Bell is left wondering how it came about and what to do next.

In the meantime, an emergency plumber came through and clipped a waterline in the laundry room.

“There is absolutely no cold water going into the kitchen,” Bell said.

Right now, no one knows what’s going on below the house until they start breaking up concrete. 

“The plumber goes, ‘Sue, I’m really worried if I open up this floor, we got a sinkhole under here," she said. "That’s my biggest fear.’”

Bell has turned to her homeowners association, their insurance and her own insurance - all of which tell her that part of the home isn’t covered. 

Now, other neighbors are looking closer at their own driveways, wondering if these holes are also an indicator of a bigger problem that shouldn’t be ignored. 

“Nobody wants to be responsible. I mean, I don’t owe much money on this house, and I’m going to walk away with nothing, and it’s not right,” she said. “Someone please help me, direct me in the right way because I don’t know what to do.”

FOX 9 reached out to the homeowners association, their insurance company and Bell’s homeowners insurance, but has not received a call back.

The city administrator did return our calls, saying Bell did the right thing by bringing the water bill to their attention, and they are going to work with her to help her get to the bottom of all this.