Homeowners in a Boise Foothill neighborhood are waiting for the results of ground tests after a twelve-inch water main was damaged on April 7th due to an unstable hillside.
At least six homes located in the Terra Nativa subdivision are under watch.
Last week, at least one family was evacuated and water was shut down by Suez Water inside of the neighborhood due to a damaged pipe caused by the hillside shifting.
The water was restored on April 10th, but now geo-specialists and trying to determine what should be done next to reduce future damage.
Common remedies to retain stability in a hillside includes drilling into the soil and placing long metal rods or building retaining walls made of rock.
However, the costs associated with those projects can add up quickly according to geotechnical engineer Arvin Farid.
“Anything and everything is repairable but it comes to how much one is willing to pay and whether or not it makes financial sense,” Farid explained.
