Landowner v. Road Maintenance Authority Regarding Water Damage

A landowner, whose property bordered a public road, sued the road's maintenance authority for damages, alleging that recent work on the road, including the replacement of an existing culvert with one of a smaller diameter, caused water runoff to flood and damage their land. The court of appeal, finding that the authority had not obtained the necessary authorization for the work that altered the natural flow of water and that the smaller culvert was insufficient to handle the standard water volume, held the authority liable for the resulting damage. The Supreme Court upheld the lower court's decision, confirming that the maintenance authority was responsible for damages caused by modifications to public works that improperly altered the natural drainage and collection of surface water.