Latest sewer main break in Fort Lauderdale repaired

The sewer main that ruptured in Victoria Park Friday — the fourth such break in Fort Lauderdale since Dec. 10 — has been repaired, the city says. Meanwhile, cleanup work continues at all the rupture sites.

Overnight, crews removed the damaged section of 16-inch force main and installed a new section of pipe approximately 30 feet in length on Northeast Fifth Street between 16th and 17th avenues.

The new force main is back in service and functioning properly, city spokesman Chaz Adams said in an email, adding that Northeast Fifth Street between 16th Avenue and 17th Way is open to local traffic only as crews conduct road restoration work and clean up.

Victoria Park residents in the affected area are reminded to avoid contact with any standing water and any area affected by the wastewater spill.

Meanwhile, crews working at the sites of the initial pipe breaks in the Rio Vista neighborhood are completing repairs to the damaged section of the 54-inch sewer main on Southeast 10th Street along the north side of Virginia Young Park, Adams said.

Crews have a new section of pipe, approximately 45 feet in length, positioned in the ground and work will continue to stabilize it, secure it in place and connect it to the existing pipe. Once installed, crews will fill the pit around the pipe and restore the surface.

Cleanup workers are also still cleaning and pressure washing streets, sidewalks and driveways in the affected area, and Virginia Young Park remains closed while repair activities are taking place.

Workers also are doing pressure washing and deodorizing activities where needed on Ponce de Leon Drive and in the area around Hector Park and Adams said that stormwater staff was on-site during the overnight hours monitoring the operation of tidal valves, storm drains and catch basins.

Hector Park remains closed to the public.

Further north in the Himmarshee Canal, divers made adjustments to the valve device around the submerged 48-inch pipe that began leaking Dec. 21, and they also installed a support strap to provide added stability.

Divers are making preparations to apply special concrete around the apparatus to permanently secure it in place, Adams said, and three aerators continued to operate at points along the canal to help improve water quality.

Still, residents are being reminded that the canal from South Federal Highway to the New River remains under a precautionary advisory for recreational water-related activities.

Crews from CBI will conduct air lancing activities today in the Tarpon River to help break down the organic material that was discharged into the waterway and the city has 14 aerators will operating on a 24-hour basis to help improve water quality in the Tarpon River, New River,

and Himmarshee Canal.

Boats will continue to patrol the canal system in and around Rio Vista and in the Himmarshee Canal conducting skimming and

debris removal on the waterways.

To view a map of the road closures in the Rio Vista area, please visit bit.ly/34W91Q6.

Although clean-up is progressing, a precautionary advisory for recreational activities in local

waterways remains in effect.

The boundaries are Broward Boulevard to the north, Poinciana Drive to the east, Southeast 15th Street to the south and Southwest 18th Avenue to the west. Water-related activities including

swimming, fishing, jet-skiing, paddle-boarding, kayaking, and canoeing should be avoided within these boundaries.

To view a map of the precautionary advisory for water-related recreational activities, visit bit.ly/ 35l0DuC.

AMY BETH BENNETT/SOUTH FLORIDA SUN SENTINEL Emergency workers Friday were on the scene of a sewer line break at North East 17th Avenue and North East Fifth Street in the Victoria Park neighborhood of Fort Lauderdale.