Fort Lauderdale issues advisory after sewage break floods area
Residents of a Fort Lauderdale apartmentcomplexwalkedoutsideandsawtheir parked cars flooded withwatery sewage.
On Tuesday afternoon, city staff were working to fix a sewer main break near the Regal Trace apartments, 540 NW Fourth Ave., said Fort Lauderdale spokesmanMatt Little.
The problem “was exacerbated by the heavy rains earlier in the day,” Little said.
As a result, motorists are asked to avoid the area and pedestrians are “advised to avoid standingwater at the site of the sewer main break,” Little said in a release.
The city has also issued a precautionary advisory to avoidwater-related recreational activities in the area along the New River approximately from Northwest Seventh Avenue toNorthwest Fourth Avenue.
David Littlefield was walking to the post office around 1:30 p.m. when he saw the sewage streaming from the lot into Northwest Fourth Street.
“It was flowing over the hedge out into the street,” he saidTuesday afternoon. “You could tell that itwas sewage. It smelled like vomit.”
Littlefield, who lives across the street from the apartment complex, said the waterwas about a foot deep in the parking lot.
“It was up to the bottom of the [car] tires,” he said.
Cityworkers have shut off the valves and were vacuuming the sewage fromthe parking lot to then excavate and fix the 20-inch break, Little saidMonday.
This precautionary advisory will remain in effect until further notice.
rpiccardo@tribpub.com, 954-356-4544 or Twitter@rebecapiccardo.