KATY, TX (Covering Katy News) – A Katy-area municipal utility district is suing Ezee Fiber Texas for $70,000 in damages after the Houston based company allegedly damaged two water mains while installing fiber optic lines.
The lawsuit comes after complaint numerous residents across Fort Bend County who say Ezee Fiber installers broke their sprinkler lines. Covering Katy also reported on a case of Ezee Fiber breaking a water line that supplied Exley Elementary School and hundreds of people in the Meadow Ridge subdivision near South Mason Road and Westheimer Parkway.
West Harris County Municipal Utility District No. 2 filed the lawsuit July 21, claiming Ezee Fiber bored through water mains on July 15 and July 17, forcing 1,150 homes to lose water access and prompting a boil water notice.
The utility district serves 591 acres between Franz Road and Morton Ranch, including the Williamsburg Colony and Williams Chase neighborhoods.
The lawsuit alleges Ezee Fiber used "heavy boring machines" in a "haphazard and destructive" manner despite warnings about potential infrastructure damage. The district claims the company ignored managers' concerns and left taxpayers to cover repair costs.
"The types of damages caused by Ezee are not just monetary in nature; they cause severe risk to health and human safety," the legal document says.The district warns the damaged lines could create life-threatening situations by reducing water pressure needed to fight fires and potentially mixing sewage into drinking water.
West Harris County MUD No. 2 seeks more than $250,000 in damages plus attorney fees. The district also wants a temporary restraining order to stop Ezee Fiber from digging in its service area.
The lawsuit alleges negligence, nuisance, property destruction and criminal mischief. Harris County District Judge Erica R. Hughes will oversee the case.
Ezee Fiber spokesman Jim Schwartz told the Houston Business journal that the company takes the concerns seriously and operates "with transparency, responsibility and in accordance with all applicable laws and industry standards."
"We are reviewing the claims carefully and will respond through the appropriate legal channels," Schwartz said.
This marks the second legal challenge for Ezee Fiber in recent months. Albuquerque, New Mexico, issued a cease-and-desist order in May over resident complaints, though the city lifted the order July 14 after the company met requirements.
Sponsel Miller PLLC represents the utility district. No attorneys have entered appearances for Ezee Fiber.