FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) - Sewage in a Fort Lauderdale neighborhood continues to spill a week after a 54-inch pipe burst, forcing crews to work around the clock to implement a bypass around the broken section of pipe.
7News cameras captured crews continuing their repair process in the Rio Vista neighborhood, Tuesday.
Crews said they have found the location of the leak, and they are working on a bypass around it before making a long-term fix to the pipe.
During a Fort Lauderdale City Commission meeting on Tuesday, Commissioner Ben Sorenson, who represents the affected neighborhood, gave an update on the spill.
“This is all hands on deck,” Sorensen said. “You know, it’s been a 24/7 operation. With some of the folks today, we’re running 12-hour shifts down there, so these folks are really putting in the time to try to mitigate what’s happened and get it fixed as soon as possible. Of course, they’ve got a lot more to do.”
Meanwhile, 7News cameras captured a temporary sewage line resting on the streets of the neighborhood, causing some road closures for nearby residents.
“I trust that they’re doing the best that they can. I don’t know why it’s been allowed to go on like this,” resident Carolyn Frawley said at a child’s birthday party. “I’m sure they test things occasionally, but it’s been awful.”
Crews have since brought in a large crane to help with repairs, and they have also brought in equipment that was specially built in Texas for the repairs. Most of the equipment arrived in South Florida on Sunday.
Sewage, however, continues to spill into the Tarpon River, but crews are working to clean it as much as possible through aerators and regularly skimming the water.
“The message to the residents is: Thank you very much for your patience. We are doing what we can, as quickly as we can,” Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis said.
Crews plan to use the crane to implement the bypass, and they hope to have the bypass implemented overnight.
Officials said sometime after midnight, the sewage system was stopped in the neighborhood.
“Tonight, we’re gonna have to shut off the system, and so there will be no use of the pipe for a few hours while we tap into the existing pipe system, but we will be fully functional by tomorrow morning,” Trantalis said. “By early morning tomorrow, the bypass should be in place, diverting the sewage through the bypass.”
Officials are expected to give a significant update on the spill Wednesday morning.
Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.