FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Crews in Fort Lauderdale began working early Monday morning after responding to a sewer main break in George English Park. It is the 11th water or sewer main break since December in the city.
It happened in the parking lot of George English Park, along 1101 Bayview Drive, just off Sunrise Boulevard.
Bayview Drive is closed north of Sunrise Boulevard. Drivers should avoid the area and seek alternate routes.
On Monday afternoon, crews were working to stop the rushing sewage water before they could start digging and get to the root of the problem. The break may be in a 14-inch sewer line that is connected to a nearby pumping station, according to authorities.
“Right now we’ve called in additional resources. We have tanker and vacuum trucks out here trying to remove the discharge from Bayview Drive and we also have crews coming in that will begin excavation work,” said Chaz Adams, a spokesman for the city.
According to Adams, crews are removing discharge from Bayview Drive between Sunrise Boulevard and Northeast 11th Street, and the repair plan will consist of digging two construction pits: One to the north and one to the south of the break.
“Two line-stops will be installed along with a bypass line, which will redirect flow around the damaged section of pipe," Adams said in a statement. "Once the bypass line is in place and activated, the full section of 14-inch pipe will be removed and replaced with a new, larger 16-inch pipe."
The equipment needed for the installation of the line stops and bypass line is expected to arrive on-site Tuesday, Adams said.
This is just the latest in a series of sewer main breaks in Fort Lauderdale that have led to the city being fined almost $1.8 million by the state of Florida in an effort to pressure them into stopping these spills.
Fort Lauderdale’s sewage spills are the worst on record in Florida history, according to state officials, and city leaders have a plan to fix the infrastructure, but it will take time.
Not far from Monday morning’s break, there was another line that ruptured weeks ago. There are two crews working to replace that line, but it is expected to take 18 months to complete.
Timeline
Fort Lauderdale sewer and water main breaks:
1. Dec. 10, 2019, Ponce de Leon Drive and SE 11th Street, Rio Vista.
2. Dec. 20, 2019, near Virginia Young Park at SE 10th Street and SE 9th Avenue, Rio Vista.
3. Dec. 21, 2019, Himmarshee Canal, near SE 2 St. and SE 9th Avenue, Beverly Heights.
4. Dec. 27, 2019, close to the intersection of NE 5th Street and NE 17th Avenue, Victoria Park.
5. Dec. 30, 2019, NE 36 Street, east of Bayview Drive, Coral Ridge Country Club Estates neighborhood.
6. Jan. 15, 2020, 12-inch water main break, Victoria Park neighborhood.
7. Jan. 30, 2020, George English Park at 1101 Bayview Drive, off of Sunrise Boulevard.
8. Feb. 2, 2020, 16-inch water main pipe broke in front of the Jackson Tower Condos of Fort Lauderdale, 100 S. Birch Road.
9. Feb. 3, 2020, sewer main break, Harbor Beach neighborhood.
10. Feb. 8, 2020, 6-inch water main rupture, New River near Southwest Seventh Street.
11. Feb. 24, 2020, George English Park, 1101 Bayview Drive, off of Sunrise Boulevard.
Traffic
-Bayview Drive is closed in both directions from south of Northeast 11th Street to Sunrise Boulevard.
-Motorists can use Northeast 25th Avenue and Northeast 11th Street as a detour route.
-Motorists picking up students at Bayview Elementary should expect heavy traffic and delays.
-To view a map of the road closures, please visit http://bit.ly/2SRnv0O.
Recreational Waterway Advisory
-To view a map of the waterway advisory, visit https://bit.ly/3a2zUF6.
Hotline
The city has set up a hotline for anyone with questions. Call Fort Lauderdale’s 24-hour Neighbor Call Center at 954-828-8000.
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