It will cost the city of Lakeland nearly a million dollars to clean up a wetland near the Carillon Lakes neighborhood where more than 1,000 gallons of untreated wastewater spilled earlier this year.
The spill was discovered on April 22, but according to a staff summary, the leak from a broken 12-inch force main “had been occurring for a significant amount of time and was likely the source of odor complaints from nearby residents.”
Environmental hazard: Crews contained the spill and rerouted the wastewater through a 4,000-foot bypass line within two days. “However, that particular force main does convey a large portion of industrial waste,” City Manager Shawn Sherrouse told Lakeland commissioners on Friday.
Because of the size of the spill and soil sampling results, Sherrouse said the Florida Department of Environment Protection requires extensive clean-up and remediation of the site in southwest Lakeland.
The clean-up (July 1 update): The City Commission on July 1 unanimously approved a $947,192 contract with Bartow-based American Compliance Technologies Inc. to remove and replace the top two feet of soil where the spill occurred. The project, described as “phase one” of the remediation process, involves:
- Removing approximately 5,600 cubic yards of contaminated soil.
- Taking the impacted soil away and disposing of it safely.
- Replacing excavated soil with clean topsoil.
- Compacting the new soil.
Urgency: Sherrouse said it’s important for the work to begin as soon as possible — before the heavy rainy season begins and floods the site, which is a wooded wetland. Carillon Lakes residents have told city staff that recent rains have caused the odor to return.
“Not to the levels that it was. But when the water is percolating through those soils out there, with those particulates that are in the soils, it does cause some odor,” Sherrouse said. “Until we get this remediation effort taken care of, it’s likely to continue to return.”
Are there health risks to residents? When the sulfuric, petroleum-like smell was at its worst, Carillon Lakes residents reported headaches and nausea. City officials said in April that they don’t believe there are any long-term health implications, but Lakeland is working with the Polk County Health Department and the FDEP to make sure.
The location: The force main primarily serves industrial businesses along County Line Road and west of the Polk Parkway. The break occurred about 1,500 feet northeast of 5001 Gateway Boulevard on a heavily wooded, marshy 100-acre parcel owned by the city. Communications Director Kevin Cook said the area is difficult to access. Wastewater officials had to use a bush hog — a piece of heavy machinery used for clearing land — to reach the site of the spill.
Unbudgeted expense: Commissioner Stephanie Madden asked where the money will come from since “obviously this was not budgeted.” Sherrouse said the funds will have to be transferred from the wastewater division’s unappropriated surplus to the wastewater replacement and renewal fund.
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Who is minding the store?? Heads should roll.
Was Carillon Lakes subdivision built on a former dump site?