ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The city of St. Petersburg says crews have contained a pipe leak that caused more than 10,000 gallons of sewage to be discharged into Riviera Bay.
Plans now are in the works to expedite a complete pipe replacement project that could have construction crews in the area for more than a year.
According to a statement from city officials, a break in a sewage line on Friday, Aug. 18, on San Martin Boulevard NE led to 600 gallons of wastewater flowing into the bay that's popular with kayakers and other outdoor enthusiasts. The additional 10,000 gallons were spilled Saturday as crews worked to repair the broken line and contain the leak, they say debris from nearby construction made it harder to access the line.
City officials planned to have the project completed by Tuesday night but are now moving forward with a plan to replace the entire mile-long stretch of the more than 50-year-old pipe.
The construction part of broad infrastructure upgrades was initially set to begin in 2025. The city earmarked $3 million for the replacement, but rising costs could cause the project to be more expensive.
“As you probably know, aging infrastructure is a national challenge," St. Petersburg Water Resources Director John Palenchar said. "I understand that this may be inconvenient, but we think it's better to do it once and do it right than have to come back and interrupt this community in two years to do this replacement."
In the meantime, the city says people should not have contact with the water until further testing is complete, which could take a couple of days.
There has been no observed impact on wildlife in Riviera Bay, which flows into Tampa Bay, the city added.
Drivers in the St. Petersburg area can expect road closures at the San Martin Boulevard Bridge as the city continues construction. The sewer line will be rerouted with a bypass as construction continues.
“We anticipate the full replacement to take a year to two years, that’s why we will do the bypass to have a reliable way to transport that wastewater," Palenchar added.