Mayor Jerry Sanders, upon returning from Washington, D.C., immediately declared that the Mount Soledad landslide was an act of God and that the City had not been involved. Documents released by his own office demonstrably show that Sanders's statement was untrue. In July, residents were complaining to the City of streets and pipes cracking, a water main break, and the street moving. On July 20 there was a report of a break in a water main. "The street has been sinking and cracking for the past few months," complained one resident. Similar complaints came in during August. In mid-September, people complained about broken water equipment, earth movement, and cracks in the road. Records show that City employes were concerned about "the message,' or "what we are going to say to the public." In late September, the City got a report saying the area was "on the verge of possible catastrophic failure due to continued ground movement." Actually, the mayor's egregiously untruthful statement may have harmed the ability of the City to collect insurance over the landslide.