The VI Waste Management Authority on Friday completed repairs to the broken force-main sewer line at the Lagoon Street Pump Station, allowing the Frederiksted Beach to be reopened.
While the sewer line was being repaired, the wastewater flow was directed into the adjacent gut and confined to the gut using the existing berm, according to a statement from WMA’s communication chief Stella Saunders. No wastewater was discharged onto Frederiksted Beach, the statement said. The authority began pumping the wastewater out of the gut and continues to apply odor suppressant to lessen the impact on the surrounding area, where cruise ship tourists were visiting the area.
Working in conjunction with the Department of Planning and Natural Resources, the authority determined that since no wastewater impacted the ocean, all Frederiksted beaches could be open.
The break in the force-main sewer line was discovered Wednesday, about 500 feet south of the station, in the gut adjacent to the St. Patrick’s School playground. Both the Frederiksted and Dorsch beaches were closed Wednesday to guard against the possibility that raw sewage might spill and cause a health hazard.
Dorsch was reopened the following day because the contractor fixing the break was able to contain the sewage in the gut. Frederiksted Beach remained closed until Friday morning as a precaution.
WMA said clean water will be added to the gut and vacuumed out to extract any residual remains left from the line break. This work will not impact the beaches and will lessen any extended impact to the gut and surrounding areas, the statement said.