There’s another smelly sewer main break in Fort Lauderdale, and the spill is at a park
Crews on Tuesday were working to remove and replace a 14-inch sewer main break in a Fort Lauderdale park with a new, larger pipe, according to city officials.
The break happened in the parking lot area of George English Park, 1101 Bayview Dr., early Monday, according to the city. Helicopter video taken by Total Traffic Miami showed sewage flooding the road as crews began to arrive. The park is near The Galleria mall.
It’s the 11th sewer or water main break to occur in the city since December and comes about a week after the state slapped a $1.8 million fine on the city to pressure local officials to fix its frequent sewage spills. The city said it was not immediately clear what caused the break, but there was no digging in the area at the time of the break.
Crews were using pumps and up to 17 tanker and vacuum trucks to remove the discharge and were working to dig two construction pits — one to the north and one to the south — of the break, the city said late Monday. Two line stops and a bypass line would then be installed to redirect the flow of sewage around the damaged section of the pipe.
Once the flow is redirected, crews will be able to remove the full section of the 14-inch pipe and replace it with a new, larger 16-inch pipe, the city said in a statement.
Precautionary advisory for water-related recreational activities
George English Lagoon, Middle River and the surrounding waterways are under a precautionary advisory from 2500 North Federal Highway and Rio Barcelona Canal on the south side of Sunrise Key until further notice, according to the city. George English Lagoon and the George English Park Boat Ramp are also closed until further notice. The advisory had already been in effect because of previous breaks, the city said.
This means residents should avoid participating in any water-related recreational activities in the affected area, including swimming, fishing, jet-skiing, paddle-boarding, kayaking and canoeing.
The city is asking anyone who is in the area to avoid standing water. If you make contact with wastewater, immediately wash your hands with soap and warm water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, especially before preparing or eating food.
Did the Fort Lauderdale sewage spill close roads down?
Police have shut down Bayview Drive in both directions from south of Northeast 11th Street to Sunrise Boulevard.
Drivers are asked to seek alternate routes such as Northeast 25th Avenue and 11th Street. Those who are dropping off or picking up students at the nearby Bayview Elementary should expect heavy traffic and delays, the city warns.
This story was originally published February 24, 2020 at 8:30 AM.
