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30-inch sewer line breaks in Palm Harbor, pumping stations impacted

Posted at 9:50 AM, Oct 04, 2016
and last updated 2016-10-05 08:55:23-04
Pinellas County Utilities officials say it could be days before a massive leak is contained. 
 
The leak is currently estimated to be spewing 1,000 gallons of raw sewage every minute.
 
A 30-inch sewer force main ruptured at Alderman Road and Omaha Street in Palm Harbor, according to Pinellas County Utilities.
 
The sewage is going into a storm water runoff drain that flows into a retention pond in the middle of the Hidden Lake neighborhood.
 
Right now, county officials do not believe the leak is having an environmental impact, but say they are monitoring water quality. 
 
Crews are also posting signs around the water to inform residents to stay out of the raw sewage and using tanker trucks to pump and transport the sewage to other pump stations. 
 
They plan to pump the sewage around the clock until the issue is fixed. 
 
Residents are advised to limit use of toilets, showers or other optional water use.
 
The cause of the break is unknown at this time. 
 
Worst case scenario, crews will have to devise a bypass of the pump station while repairs are done.