Pacific Bell v. City of San Diego

Opinion

MCDONALD, J.

Plaintiff Pacific Bell’s facility suffered substantial damage when a corroded cast-iron water pipe servicing a fire hydrant burst and the escaping water flooded the facility. The pipe was owned and maintained by defendant City of San Diego (City) and would not have burst had it not been corroded.

Pacific Bell sought inverse condemnation damages from City. Pacific Bell asserted that because City had no preventive maintenance plan to inspect or monitor the effect of corrosion on old cast iron pipes, burst pipes resulting in damage to adjoining private property was an…