September 7, 2004
By Sarah Prohaska, Will Vash, and Jennifer Sorentrue
Palm Beach Post Staff Writers
Sewage plants and lift stations in the Treasure Coast remained without power Tuesday afternoon, pushing the crucial facilities to their limits and raising potential health threats, officials warned.
"We're advising children not to play in any standing water. It's a sanitary hazard," said Ted Robbins, martin county's technical services operator.
"Today our number one issue is power to our utilities," Port St. Lucie City Manager Don Cooper said during an afternoon briefing. "We have not been able to contact anyone at FPL."
Jesus Merejo, the city's director of utilities, estimated about 70 percent of the city's population was experiencing some sort of sewage problems.
He's had reports of sewage backing up in homes and yards, but did not have specific numbers.
"The city's utility department is doing everything possible," Merejo said. "We need power."
The city's drinking water is still working at 50 percent pressure, which officials said was good news.
"Our city was able to keep water pressure for the entire system, but we don't want to lose that," he added.
Throughout Martin County, sewage was bubbling out of manhole covers and in a few homes as officials struggle to get power restored to more than a dozen of of the county's 275 lift stations that remained inoperational Tuesday.
"We're chasing around to get to as many calls as many as we can," said Robbins, the county's tecnical services operator. "As soon as we get a call, we send the pump truck out to get that station pumped out."
U.S. Army officials began assessing the stations Tuesday and are expected to provide engine generators in the next couple days to supply power to the stations still without power, he said.
Some of the areas experiencing problems Tuesday were Fisherman's Cove in Stuart, Sunset Trail in Palm City and the Jensen Beach Country Club.
The root of Port St. Lucie's problem is the extended time the city's utitilies have been without a constant source of electricity, Merejo said.
Of the city's 189 lift stations, the city is rotating generator power to 25 at a time, he said. That's pushing the system to critical condition until FPL can restore power to it, he said.
He advised residents to conserve their water usage, such as keeping toilet flushing to a minimum and not taking long showers.
St. Lucie County sheriff's officials said toilets were backed up at the St. Lucie County Jail after the Hurricane Frances. They had to bring in portable toilets.
Moses said sewage issues are a problem throughout the county and that residents simply must stay away from the raw material.
"Anytime you have a sewer backage there is always a concern," Moses said.
If someone comes down with diarrhea or a similar intestinal ailment, Moses said they should see their doctor. Several city council members expressed anger and frustration at the fact
they had not been able to communicate the critical situation to FPL officials.
"We're the largest city on the Treasure Coast, and we haven't been able to contact anyone there," said Mayor Bob Minsky. "That's very disappointing."
Meanwhile, Cooper reported FEMA should have a base location in the city within 10 days, where residents will be able to apply for assitance. The location has not yet been confirmed.
Volunteers are also needed to man the water distribution station at City Center off U.S. 1 near Village Green Drive.
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/storm/content/news/epaper/2004/09/07/tcoast_sewer.html
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