PALM BAY, Fla. — Thanks to the City of Palm Bay and Cathcart Construction Company, emergency repairs were made to the damaged 20-inch sewer main late last night, containing the break.
As mentioned earlier, the City’s drinking water supply is still safe and hasn’t been impacted by this incident. Residents should steer clear of Turkey Creek and nearby waterways while we continue to restore and monitor the situation.
Environmental assessment and coordination efforts began after containment, with collaboration between the City, contractor, and environmental specialists.
Right now, vacuum trucks are still on-site, cleaning the pond next to the damaged pipe and the swale that runs alongside it.
To isolate the affected section, two 20-inch line stops were installed on the forcemain, along with a bypass. After installation, crews repaired the pipe using 20-inch long sleeves and replacement sections.
Once the structural repairs were complete, the area was backfilled with clean soil.
Remediation efforts are underway in Turkey Creek within a turbidity curtain area. The contractor began using vacuum trucks and placing turbidity booms overnight. This morning, the contractor sent personnel to the creek for manual skimming and net dragging to collect discharge material, which is being transported to vacuum trucks for removal.
To ensure safety and protect public health, a City Utilities team will collect the first round of water samples by noon today. Five locations will be tested on a 24-hour cycle, with monitoring continuing for three weeks.
The contractor will use their environmental team for testing in the affected area.
Channel 9 will provide additional updates as necessary, given that this is an ongoing story.
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