Following the successful repair and containment of the sewer forcemain break near 1050 Clearmont Street NE, further investigation has revealed the cause of the failure. The damaged section, a 20-foot-long pipe, was found to have a 2- to 3-inch crack running the full horizontal length. Although the pipe was originally expected to have a lifespan of 80-100 years, it failed after just 37 years, or half its lifespan. This break could not have been reasonably anticipated. Routine inspections on our collection system occur monthly. The last inspection of the air release valve was completed two weeks prior. In addition, pressure data loggers are being monitored routinely for increased demand, which shows stress on the system.
Upon excavation, it was discovered that the pipe had been installed at an unusual angle, which may have contributed to long-term strain and ultimately led to the failure. Importantly, the issue does not appear to be related to overcapacity in the area, as that portion of the system does not serve a zone currently impacted by growth.
At this time, preliminary estimates indicate that approximately 3.19 million gallons of wastewater were released as a result of the break. Of that, approximately 2 million gallons have been recovered through ongoing remediation efforts, with an estimated 1.19 million gallons released into the environment.
The City remains committed to full transparency and will continue to provide updates as environmental remediation and water quality monitoring continue. Further updates will be provided as needed. The citizen hotline 321-726-5683 will have the most current information.
December 26, 2019 UAB Minutes