Wellington-based company cited for major Fort Lauderdale water main break

Note: This article has been updated with comment from Cypress Communications Inc.

WELLINGTON — A communications contractor based in Wellington is in hot water after being faulted with the water main break that essentially shut down Fort Lauderdale on Thursday.

The company, Florida Communication Concepts Inc., was working near Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport late Wednesday when workers hit a 42-inch water main that moves raw water from Fort Lauderdale’s well fields into one of its water treatment plants.

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The water supply had to be shut off — effectively cutting off water for the city and several surrounding municipalities that contract with Fort Lauderdale for water.

While the water service was partially restored Thursday afternoon, more than 220,000 customers initially were told to prepare for up to 24 hours without water, sending some residents scurrying to hotel rooms in Palm Beach County or other unaffected areas.

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Other residents went instead to grocery stores, piling flats of water into shopping carts.

A temporary fix restored water service to all customers Friday, and a boil water order remains in effect, Fort Lauderdale officials said Friday afternoon.

The company behind the chaos, officials said, is Florida Communication Concepts Inc., which is registered to Timothy and Christine Hicks at their home in Wellington’s Pinewood neighborhood.

A call to a phone number for Timothy Hicks was not answered Friday morning, and the voicemail was full.

The Palm Beach Post also reached out for comment from the registered agent for the company, Palm Beach Gardens-based law firm Markarian & Hayes.

Property records show the Hicks family has lived at their home on Doubletree Trail in Wellington since 2017. The company was formed in March.

While Florida Communication Concepts had an 811 locate ticket, the company did not have any permits for the work, according to a Fort Lauderdale police report.

Florida Communication Concepts was cited and issued a notice to appear in Broward County court, Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis said. The company was repairing electric lines for Florida Power & Light Co. when the incident occurred, Trantalis said.

“It’s important to note that the subcontractor was not doing work for the city, nor was the work related to any city or airport project,” Trantalis said.

"We are aware of the situation in Fort Lauderdale where a third-party contractor struck a water main near the Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport while working on a Florida Power & Light Company construction project," FPL said. "We are investigating the incident and working with the city to respond."

The company does not have a contractor's license. Instead, it uses the license of another person, called a qualifier.

That qualifier is listed in state records as Al Valdes of Cape Coral. Timothy and Christine Hicks are listed on the business license application filed in April as authorized representatives of the Florida Communication Concepts, according to a copy of the application requested from the state by The Post.

Valdes on Thursday told TV station WPLG that "the incident occurred on private property, no permit was required and the line was not marked," the station reported.

But reached by phone Friday by The Post, Valdes said he was not involved in the company and that he is "just the qualifier."

"I'm not even on the same coast," he said.

Hicks does not have a general contractor license but is eligible to take the state exam, records show.

The foreman on the job site when the incident occurred, Shawn McGregor, of Stuart, also is not a licensed general contractor according to state records.

A Fort Lauderdale police report citing McGregor and Florida Communication Concepts lists McGregor as the supervisor for West Palm Beach-based Cypress Communications Inc.

In an email to The Palm Beach Post on Saturday, Cypress Communications said it "does not have a contract with FPL and are in no way are connected with the incident listed in article."

A representative said Timothy Hicks and McGregor have not worked for Cypress Communications since late 2017, and she did not know why their company was listed on the police report.

kwebb@pbpost.com

@kristinawebb