Construction Begins to Repair Damage From 120 Million Gallon Sewer Leaks in Florida
(UC) — Construction has begun to repair damaged sewer lines in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida after nearly 130 million gallons of sewer water leaked over several days last December.
The city of Ft. Lauderdale had a wet holiday last December as more than six different sewer systems leaked over 126 million gallons of sewer water across the city within a span of about three weeks.
The first leak occurred on December 10 in a small park near the Tarpon River in the Rio Vista area with the second coming ten days later in another park directly across the river from the location of the first leak. These two leaks were by far the largest at 35.4 million and 77.57 million.
The third leaked happened merely one day after the second leak spilling a combined total of 13.7 million gallons approximately two miles from where the first leaks took place.
On December 27 and 30, two different leaks happened in the Victoria Park area, and upscale residential neighborhood just over two miles from the site of the third leak.
A sixth leak also occurred on Dec. 30 in the Coral Ridge Country Club Estates, four miles from Victoria Park.
Finally, on the last day of the year, two more leaks spilled near the Lake Ridge and Lauderdale Beach areas.
As of January 7, work had begun to repair or replace the damaged lines in the Rio Vista and Victoria Park areas.
A contract was awarded to David Mancini and Sons Incorporated (DMSI) for the design and construction of 2,500 linear feet of new underground 48-inch pipe that will replace the broken main in the Rio Vista area. The project is expected to take approximately 12 weeks to complete. CBS Miami affiliate WFOR-TV has reported the city has approved $65 million for the project.
Southern Underground Industries, Inc., will replace approximately 4,800 linear feet of 16-inch cast iron pipe with new 16-inch ductile iron pipe in Victoria Park. The project is expected to be completed by mid-February.
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