Manhole Uncovered On DPW Site

Cleanup crews handling the soil removal at the former contaminated public works compound in downtown Brooksville uncovered a manhole on the property Tuesday.

Because it came at the end of the work day, there was no stoppage of work, Assistant County Engineer Gregg Sutton said.

But the discovery did come as somewhat of a surprise, he said.

Sutton said he contacted the Florida Department of Environmental Protection for guidance and the project consultant took a sample near the manhole to determine whether there were any contaminants.

That sample is still being analyzed, Sutton said.

Work crews also looked inside the manhole and saw there was no water flow inside.

It turns out, the abandoned manhole has been used to serve the old fleet maintenance building, which had been torn down and was out of service, Sutton said.

"We checked it out and it is no longer in service," he said.

Workers excavated around the manhole, put clean soil on top of it and covered it up, he said.

Sutton expects the interim cleanup to wind up by Friday.

Cliff's Construction, which is handling the soil removal, is "moving along very nicely," Sutton said.

DEP Spokeswoman Pamala Vazquez verified that the county took the proper steps after discovering the manhole.

County Commissioner Rose Rocco said the DEP is specific as to what the county can and cannot do on the site.

When issues arise, such as the uncovering of a manhole, it is vital that an investigation is carried out to make sure no health problems exist, she said.

"That's why it's taking as long as it has been," she said. "They're looking at every issue."

Brooksville-based Cliff's Construction is hauling away the shallow contaminated soil from the DPW site and several adjacent properties.

Contamination at the site, located at West Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, has been festering since 1991. But intensive cleanup actions didn't begin until about three years ago, when residents of adjacent Mitchell Heights pressed the county for results.