- April 23, 2024
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There was a sewer force main break at one of the new subdivision developments in Plantation Bay on the afternoon of Wednesday, March 27, according to Interim County Administrator Jerry Cameron.
The break, which occurred at the construction site near Stirling Bridge Drive at about 4:30 p.m., was a result of a contractor construction crew installing underground utilities for ICI Homes. Although the utility lines were located and marked, the contractor hit the existing force main, which resulted in about 6,000 gallons of untreated domestic wastewater to leak.
The area was contained within the contractor's work area — a 40-foot by 10-foot hole.
Woody’s Septic responded and removed the bulk of the waste, with the remaining being treated onsite with hydrated lime and covered with soil.
The spill from this break poses no effects to public health, according to a report by Cameron.
Per protocol, this incident was reported to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the local health department.
Flagler County Commissioner Joe Mullins maintained that this kind of incident is not totally uncommon at construction sites.
“I’ve seen it happen at thousands of construction sites through the years,” he said. “Sometimes things happen.”
However, some Plantation Bay residents were upset, including Joan Affatato, who recently signed a petition to have the FDEP stop all construction until Plantation Bay increases wastewater capacity.
“People in here take it too damn light. Would you like 6,000 gallons of raw sewage going into your ground and leaking into your water? That’s not serious?” she said. “I’m a taxpayer, along with the rest of the people here. The taxpayers have to pay for what’s going on here, and they resent it.
“It’s really gotten to me, and I’m fed up.”
