MSD Project Clear (MSDPC) contractors are working to repair a broken force main in Maryland Heights. The break was discovered early Sunday afternoon in a field near John Pellet Court and Hog Hollow Road. Repair crews were mobilized and repair work is getting underway this evening.
Sewer service will not be impacted, but some pump stations upstream of the break will have to be temporarily shut down to allow for repairs. Shutting down the pump stations increases the likelihood of wastewater overflows in the vicinity. Potentially affected areas include:
• Caulks Creek, in a wooded area west of Crystal Spring Drive
• Bonhomme Creek, along the Monarch Chesterfield Levee trail behind Chesterfield Commons
• Other portions of Bonhomme Creek around I-64
MSDPC will use Vactor trucks, that suck up wastewater, and storage tanks to minimize any potential overflows while the pump stations are shut down. Cleanup and disinfection needs will be assessed once repairs are complete and the force main is fully operational. That’s expected to be around midweek.
Warning signs have been posted in the area, advising the public of the overflow. While there is no immediate threat to public health or safety, everyone is asked to avoid physical contact with Bonhomme and Caulks Creeks the next few days. Anyone who comes in contact with wastewater should immediately and thoroughly wash with soap and water.
A force main is a sewer line that uses pumps to transport wastewater. Pumps and force mains are necessary when gravity alone is not enough to move wastewater through flat areas or over hills to a wastewater treatment plant. An MSDPC contractor is currently working to replace a 3.5-mile section of this particular force main. That project is scheduled to wrap up in early 2023.
MSDPC has reported the break to The Missouri Department of Natural Resources.