WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Texas — Residents in the Parkside at Mayfield Ranch community in Williamson County are upset about the damage Spectrum's fiber optic installations are causing the neighborhood.
Spectrum contractors have put down small marker flags to install underground fiber optic lines for broadband, but neighbors said how they've gone about it has raised red flags.
"You can see that's not the way it's supposed to be, and I got two or three holes that are about 6 inches deep," resident Kent Perry said. "You can twist your ankles."
Perry said Spectrum contractors did not repair his lawn properly after installation. He said he's been trying to get them to fix it for over 40 days.
"I haven't heard from them," Perry said.
KVUE also spoke with a homeowner who said crews hit a sewer line and flooded the first floor of her family of five's home with sewage water. They're currently staying with family while repairs are done. In a statement, Spectrum said this incident was a one-off situation and the contractor took full responsibility.
"This has been very frustrating," D'nais Mack said. "Really shocking."
Mack said her sprinklers were broken and her family went nearly four nights without gas because she was never notified it was turned off due to a line being hit.
"So my issue is I never would have contacted a plumber if I would have been notified the gas had been turned off," Mack said.
Mack said not knowing the gas was turned off, she called a plumber who installed two new water heaters at her home, costing nearly $5,000.
"I have requested reimbursement because I feel like it was their negligence," Mack said.
She wants Spectrum to reimburse all the money and not just the plumber's travel fee like she said the company suggested.
Mack said she contacted Atmos to get the gas turned back on after hearing from neighbors that fire crews were in their area.
Neighbors also said they were not alerted about the project starting, though Spectrum said it put door hangers before working.
"I never got one," Perry said.
"There was no notice left on our door," Mack said. "The only communication that I feel that we've had as a subdivision is our neighborhood Facebook page. That's where I was able to secure the contact information for the site coordinator."
That Facebook page is filled with neighbors voicing concerns over the damage to their property.
"I would think for something this massive, there should be some sort of like, open forum where neighborhoods can voice their concerns," resident Andres Turner said.
Turner said his yard is next up, which he only knows because of the paint and flags that have popped up. He's worried about potential damage to his property.
"I want them to be more conscientious of neighborhoods and people's yards," Turner said.
How Spectrum is handling the issues
In a statement to KVUE, Charter Communications, also known as Spectrum, said:
"We are aware of some issues arising from broadband network expansion into the Parkside at Mayfield Ranch neighborhood. Our local leadership and project crews are working with residents and the homeowner's association to resolve residents' concerns to their satisfaction in a timely manner."
Charter also said minor lawn damage is common through this process. It explained underground construction for a project like this involves having a third-party company map out existing utilities in the ground, but unfortunately, some utilities are improperly marked.
Spectrum said it is in contact with all the customers KVUE spoke with to help them solve their issues.
Who gave the green light for the project?
Williamson County said it does not have the authority to require utility companies to get permits to install utilities in the public utility easement, which can be private property like lawns. When KVUE asked Spectrum multiple times about who approved its plan for installation, the spokesperson wrote, "Our teams obtained the necessary permits for our work," but would not give further explanation.
KVUE asked the same questions to the HOA in the community, but we didn't hear back.
According the Railroad Commission of Texas, telecommunications services are regulated by the PUCT and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
If residents have concerns about noncompliance, you can submit a complaint to the RRC Damage Prevention team.
Members of the public can report damage to gas or liquid pipelines for further review between the RRC and 811 of any damage to underground utilities.
Spectrum said it is halfway through the project.