Friday marks two weeks since a massive sinkhole opened up and swallowed two homes in a Land O’Lakes community. Work to remediate and clean out the sinkhole is still on hold, and some residents still can’t go home.

  • County still testing road stability
  • County commission still needs to approve funding
  • Clean-up costs between $600,000 - $1.2 million

Dotty Benschoter has been allowed back home to a house that’s only a stone throw away from the sinkhole. But she says she simple doesn’t trust it.

“We're getting some cracks on the side of our house, so I don't know if that's from that, I don't know," said Benschoter.

Currently Pasco County is waiting for the results of core drilling tests to ensure the road is stable enough to support heavy equipment going into the sinkhole.

The county also recently sent out demand letters and notice of financial responsibility to the homeowners, renters, and companies that did remediation work in the past.

“All of those individuals have been notified that they may be identified in the future as a potential financial responsible party," said Assistant County Administrator for Public Safety Kevin Guthrie.

The county says it has spoken with one insurance company that says its paid out the property owner, but has not heard back from the other.

However, county officials also said the county can, for the sake of public safety, go in and begin clean up and remediation.

On July 31 the county commission plans to approve funding for the cleanup work and to start work by at the latest August 1. The clean-up could cost between $600,000 and $1.2 million.

It's action on the part of the county that residents like Benschoter continue to wait for.

“Everything is up in the air, we're kind of in limbo right now," said Benschoter.

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