Sewer Construction Process

What To Expect When Crews Enter Your Neighborhood

The City of Fort Lauderdale’s WaterWorks 2011 Water and Wastewater Capital Improvements Program is a 10-year construction program aimed at improving the City’s utility infrastructure.  The program includes installing sanitary sewer systems in the 40 percent of the City’s communities that are currently serviced by septic tanks.  The project also includes upgrading large and small water mains and addresses improvements to the City's water and wastewater treatment plants.  

The bulk of the $691 million program is expected to be completed by the City’s 100th anniversary in 2011.  To accomplish this goal, the WaterWorks 2011 Program Management Team has developed an aggressive construction schedule. 

“The contractors are on a tight schedule to complete construction in the neighborhoods and move on to the next project phase,” said Mike Furdock, senior construction manager of the WaterWorks 2011 program. “While we are in neighborhoods, not only must we become sensitive to the needs of the community, but we must also educate residents on what to expect during construction.”

The contractor will first set manholes and the sanitary sewer main line with a pipe crew working up the center of the road. A second pipe crew will excavate and install the sanitary sewer laterals that run from the main line in the center of the street to the property lines on either side of the road.
Once all of the service laterals from the sanitary sewer main have been installed, another main line pipe crew will work down the road replacing and upgrading the water mains.  When the water main is in place, another service crew will work down the street installing the new water services to properties on both sides of the road.

Following construction, if leaks are found, the contractor will have to dig them up and make proper repairs.  Once it is confirmed that the lines have been properly constructed, they must be cleansed to remove construction debris and the water mains must be properly sanitized and tested, a process that can take several days.

When the lines are properly installed and water mains and service connections have been properly sanitized, construction teams will then direct the contractor to rebuild the road and restore the swale area and sidewalks that may have been damaged during construction. 

Detour signs will indicate which streets are open to local traffic. If, while completing work, crews block driveway entries onto residential property, the contractor is required to open access by 5:00 pm that same day.  Contractors are typically scheduled to work between the hours of 8:00 am to 6:00 pm, Monday through Friday.  Any other work requires prior authorization from the Program Management Team. When possible, the residents will be notified of extended work hours.

To inform residents of upcoming work, the Program Management Team schedules the delivery of door-to-door notices within the community prior to beginning construction work.  Residents can learn about construction updates on the project through residential door hanger deliveries, local media traffic updates, scheduled presentations at homeowner association meetings.