HOUSTON – For nearly three months, homeowners in the Hall Park subdivision in southeast Houston watched as water streamed down their street and nothing was done about it.
Residents like Jamal Fraser said they made multiple calls to both their homeowners association and the City of Houston but saw little to no response.
The persistent leak not only created a mess, but neighbors say it also brought a bad smell and concerns about their health risks.
“It smells, it’s bad,” Fraser said.
After repeated attempts to get help, residents reached out to KPRC 2’s Rilwan Balogun.
Balogun then contacted the city around 11 a.m., and within hours, city crews were on-site, breaking ground to repair the leak.
“When I pulled in the neighborhood and I saw that City of Houston truck, I said, ‘man, hold up,’” Fraser said. “I see this right there. I said ‘yeah, oh yeah, this guy made something happen right here.’”
According to the City of Houston, the smell was likely due to water not draining properly, an issue confirmed by video showing water bubbling up from underground. Residents said they suspected an underground pipe leak but struggled to get anyone to investigate.
Council Member Joaquin Martinez represents the district. His office tells Balogun there are 1,013 open water repair orders across the city, adding how the city prioritizes leaks.
The city prioritizes repairs as follows:
- Emergencies: Breaks causing loss of water service, damage to property, significant ponding on major thoroughfares, or low-pressure affecting healthcare systems and schools.
- Routine leaks: All other leaks that do not meet the emergency criteria are scheduled as part of the routine repair process.
The HOA community manager said they were aware of the leak.
“We are actively continuing our efforts to establish contact with the home from which the leak originates in order to resolve the issue as swiftly as possible,” the manager told Balogun in an email. “We highly value the well-being of the community and are committed to addressing and rectifying such concerns.”
“They’ve been out one time [City of Houston], we’ve seen them one time and they have never been back, never came back since,” Fraser recalled.
City workers spent more than two hours on-site making repairs, finally putting an end to what had become a daily nuisance for people who live along Hall Meadows and Hall View.
If you notice a leak in your neighborhood, city officials urge residents to submit a request through Houston’s 311 system. While it may appear as “closed” once submitted, that often means the request has been routed to the appropriate department for action—not necessarily that the work is done.
The city prioritizes the most severe cases first, so patience is key, but persistence helps.
How to report a leak in Houston:
- Call 311 or download the Houston 311 app
- Include the exact location and a description of the issue
- Take photos if possible
- Keep your confirmation number to follow up
