Metro’s bad luck this year has taken an unusual new twist: The transit agency could be stuck with a more than $246,000 bill for sewage-covered medical records.
The problem occurred last December when sewage leaked into the agency’s leased medical offices on H Street NW, according to a Metro report. Employee records were “damaged.”
Metro had all the tainted files specially vacuumed, cleaned and treated so employees could continue to access the records. Federal transportation rules require that workers’ testing and exam results must be available at any time, according to Metro. The documents also are being scanned electronically so the damaged documents can be destroyed eventually.
The total cost: $344,848.
But Metro figured someone else would pay for the cleaning.
The leak had come from a tenant in a neighboring building, so they assumed the tenant’s insurance or the property manager would pay.
“However, after numerous meetings, it became apparent that Metro would need to fund and procure the document restoration services directly,” the report to board members said.
Metro’s insurance has covered $98,000 of the cost. The transit agency says it is continuing to seek payment for the remaining $246,848.
Metro’s insurance has covered $98,000 of the cost. The transit agency says it is continuing to seek payment for the remaining $246,848.
The damaged records are just the latest unexpected problem — and potential cost — for the agency:
» Last month, Metro discovered major cracks in the ceiling of the Farragut North Metrorail station, some as large as 15 feet by 4 feet.
» Late last month, a federal court ordered Metro to pay $200,000 for violating the U.S. Clean Water Act.
» Metro is spending thousands of dollars to fight an arbitration panel’s order for Metro to pay 3 percent raises to its largest union.
» Declining ridership isn’t bringing in as much money as expected.
» The agency is facing growing costs from a spate of lawsuits and repairs stemming from the June 22 train crash that killed nine people and highlighted flaws in the system’s automatic safety system.
Next year’s prognosis isn’t expected to be any better: The agency is forecasting a $175 million gap in its proposed $1.4 billion operating budget.
