DOVER, Del.- Kent County officials say 1,300 feet of pipe has been identified as needing to be replaced following a sewer leak last month that shuttered Silver Lake Park for weeks.
Andrew Riggi, the county's deputy public works director, on Monday briefed Dover City Council members on the initial findings into the Dec. 19 leak that spilled an estimated 84,000 gallons of untreated wastewater at the park. Overflow from the leak went into the St. Jones River but not Silver Lake itself.
According to Riggi, the leak was discovered after the county resumed use of the newly-renovated sewer force main beneath U.S. Route 13.
"It wasn't good. We had a spill in your Silver Lake Park," he said.
County staff cleaned and spread lime in the area of the spill to disinfect and neutralize any harmful contaminants, though Riggi said a long-term fix is still being investigated.
The county's initial investigation appeared to point the pipe's failure on sulfide corrosion.
A report from Riggi on the matter suggested fixing the pipe would take months.
"The replacement materials would be bid out, as per DNREC's requirements, near the end of February for delivery in early May with construction completion by the end of June from the park to Oak Lane. The schedule for repair of other areas identified during the investigation is still to be determined," he wrote.
Hpwever, the county's public works director said Monday afternoon that no hard timetable has been set for the repair and cost estimate has not yet been finalized.
Councilman Tim Slavin (D-District 2) told Riggi the county needs to do a better job letting the public know the failure happened with a county system and that the city has unfairly been blamed for what happened.
"Quite honestly, the city took it on the chin this time," he said.
