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Hernando Today

Work Continues On Water Main

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MICHAEL D. BATES

Published: January 24, 2008

Works crews were on the scene early

Thursday morning continuing to repair the water main

break at the intersection of Spring Hill Drive and

Mariner Boulevard that forced the closing of one lane.

They were still at it that evening.

The "Four Corners" intersection, so dubbed because of

the glut of commercial activity surrounding the site,

has had more traffic accidents than any other spot in

Hernando County.

Realizing that, county utility inspector Chris Soto

said it was imperative the situation get fixed quickly.

Soto said the cause of the break is still being

determined. However, he has a theory.

Sometimes, during new pipe installation, the mechanical

joint fittings work loose and spring a leak, Soto said.

High-density, 10-inch polyethylene underground pipes

can contract with hot and cold weather extremes, Soto

explained. That, and the heavy traffic on that road,

could have caused the problem, he added.

Fortunately, the break was caught early before too much

water gushed out onto the new pavement. Soto doesn't

believe it affected the supporting road bed.

"It didn't leak long enough," Soto said. "Had it been

left for a long period of time, it could have done a

lot of damage."

The county will not have to pay for the repairs because

it had not closed out the contract with project

contractor D.A.B. Constructors Inc., and the project

was still in the warranty period.

Working under overcast skies Thursday, D.A.B. crews had

dug down 7 to 9 feet on the southwest corner, next to

the Shell lube station. Soto hopes the pipe mending can

be made there without having to continue repairs across

the street on the Taco Bell side.

Either way, it is expected that the outside southbound

lane will be closed part of today while crews backfill

the hole and clean up the repair site.

Motorists seemed to take the lane closing and road work

in stride Thursday morning as traffic flowed smoothly

around the barricades and orange and white traffic

cones.

There was no horn honking or angry gestures from

passers-by. Signs were placed well in advance of the

construction, alerting motorists to the road work

ahead.

Community Services Coordinator Brenda Frazier said no

homes or stores were without water during the break

because of a valve system D.A.B. installed during

construction.

Reporter Michael D. Bates can be reached at

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