About 9,500 gallons recovered
On Feb. 20, a crack in a 2-inch coupler on a pipeline resulted in the spill of about 10,000 gallons of raw sewage at 729 Crestwood Road in Englewood, the Englewood Water District has reported to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP).
Approximately 9,500 gallons was recovered, the report says.
The sewage did enter a stormwater ditch, the report continues, but it flowed only as far away as “two lots on either side of the spill location.”
The sewage did not enter any stormwater ponds or public or state waters, the report points out. District staff used its vacuum trucks “to clean up a much of the spill as possible,” the report continues, noting, “The affected ground was disinfected with lime.”
Blair Supply Co. of Rochester, N.Y., explains, “In water and wastewater piping systems, pipe couplings are used to connect two or more sections of pipe with the aim of maintaining continuity between them. They can be used to join pipes of different or equal sizes, as well as connect more than just two pipes if they are cross or T-shaped.”
District staff received a call at 8:40 a.m. on Feb. 20 about water on the ground at the site, the report notes. The crew sent to the location determined that the effluent was sewage, so another crew was called to the scene, the report continues.
After the second crew arrived about 9:15 a.m., the report says, its members closed a valve on the sewer force main to stop the leak.
As the Environmental Protection Agency explains, “Force mains are pipelines that convey wastewater under pressure from the discharge side of a pump or pneumatic ejector to a discharge point. Pumps or compressors located in a lift station provide the energy for wastewater conveyance in force mains.”
After the pipe was repaired, the report adds, it was put back into service.