Leaking pipe causes sanitary sewer overflow in FWB

FORT WALTON BEACH — A sanitary sewer overflow was reported Wednesday night after Okaloosa County Water and Sewer found a leak in an 8-inch pressurized pipe near Newcastle Drive.

The sewer leak was estimated at about 8,000 gallons. Of that, approximately 2,500 gallons was recovered via a vacuum truck, according to a press release from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

The remaining leakage flowed east along Newcastle Drive, and then south along Thornhill Road to a concrete ditch, and finally entered Newcastle Pond.

Newcastle Pond is a local name for a wet detention basin maintained by the county and fenced in with no trespassing signs. The SSO was contained to this wet detention basin, the release said.

Newcastle Pond is not a body of water accessible to the public for fishing or recreation.

The sewer overflow ended at approximately 9:15 p.m. Wednesday with OCWS crews managing and halting the flow until the pipeline was fully restored at approximately 11 p.m.

The break was due to a split section of pipe that appeared to have been compromised by a utility contractor scraping the top of the pipe at some point in the past.

Due to the nature of a pressurized pipe, it eventually split.

The affected area was cleaned and disinfected by OCWS crews Wednesday night and then again Thursday.