Henderson completes repairs to Somerset Park’s underground water system

The city of Henderson reported Thursday that fixes were completed to an underground water system at Somerset Park, resolving a crisis that had threatened the ability of residents to remain in their homes.

The water system serving the town home community in east Henderson now complies with safety standards and city codes, the city wrote in a statement.

“I am pleased that the City was able to step in and successfully repair the underground water leaks and that we were able to keep Somerset residents in their homes,” wrote Mayor Michelle Romero in the statement.

She added: “I want to acknowledge our City departments and the partners who helped with the coordinated construction effort and thank the community for their patience and cooperation as we worked as quickly as possible to resolve these critical issues with little disruption.”

More than 85 underground pipes were replaced and hazardous materials removed, with the cost falling within the city’s approved project budget of about $600,000, the statement said.

The city had stepped in after the management company overseeing the neighborhood’s homeowner’s association told officials it couldn’t afford the repairs.

Moving forward

The Somerset Park water issues were spotted when city crews showed up in August to make an emergency repair to a sinkhole that had began to gobble a car.

Water leaks were eroding car ports, asphalt and the soil-based bedding underneath, making conditions an “imminent hazard to the health, safety, and welfare of the public,” the city wrote to residents.

Until the city stepped in, Henderson had maintained that residents were responsible for fixes to their private water system.

The city warned residents that if the HOA didn’t completely fix the water system, they faced the prospect of having to abandon their homes until repairs were made.

Around the same time, council members approved a bill draft for the 2025 Legislature that if passed into law would allow local Nevada governments to fix similar issues at HOA communities with a payback system.

CAMCO Homeowner’s Association Management — which manages the Somerset Park HOA — told the city that the HOA didn’t have the funds to fix the system.

CAMCO noted that management companies act on behest of HOAs, but that associations manage their own financial accounts.

The Nevada-based company, took over the Somerset HOA’s management about a year earlier after its previous management company was fined and dissolved by the Nevada Real Estate Division, CAMCO said.

While well-funded HOAs typically have thousands or even millions of dollars in reserves for repairs, company representatives said, Somerset’s association had only a few hundred dollars on hand and burgeoning debts to contractors when CAMCO took over.

In September, the HOA approved about $90 in monthly increases to residents to begin catching up with those debts, CAMCO said.

To pay for the water system, the city approved tax liens on homeowners to be paid back in eight quarterly installments. The solution also allowed residents to stay in their homes.

Henderson contracted Triple J Trenching for the repairs, which it began in September.

The city said Thursday that it will continue to be in touch with Somerset residents and that its City Council is planning vote next week to approve an assessment.

“The Somerset HOA is responsible for all other property maintenance,” the statement said.

“This whole thing, from the beginning to now, has just been a roller-coaster of emotions, but I’m glad its over,” said Somerset resident Sherry Robertson, 49.

Contact Ricardo Torres-Cortez at rtorres@reviewjournal.com.