Brownsville Highway remains closed indefinitely as Kitsap County hires a contractor to repair a leaky sewer pipe.
The aging pipe combined with heavy rainfall caused a sinkhole on the road on December 21st.
This week, Kitsap County officials decided to forego bidding processes because repairs are beyond the reach of sewer utilities and a contractor must be hired to complete the work. The sinkhole also guarantees the waiver of competitive bid requirements.
Last week’s rain put pressure in the sewer line between Keyport and the central Kitsap sewage treatment plant, resulting in leaks in a segment that needs to be repaired by a contractor.
The resolution said that if repairs were delayed for the typical time a normal tendering process would take, the public interest and property would suffer.
The Kitsap County Code and the revised Washington Code give the county the power to waive an emergency tender, defined as “unforeseen circumstances beyond the control of the community and either (a) posing a real, imminent threat to the proper performance of important functions; or (b) is likely to result in material loss or property damage, personal injury or death if immediate action is not taken, ”the ruling states.
The road will remain closed to vehicles and pedestrians indefinitely as repairs are in progress.
Various options are considered a temporary fix until work can be done on the entire Bangor Keyport main line. One of those options could be to split the project in two so that the pipe that runs through the Brownsville Highway can be repaired more quickly.
Planning for the main line of the Bangor Keyport Forces is just beginning, said Stella Vakarcs, senior program manager for the sewage company. It will likely take 2 to 2 1/2 years to complete the project, she said.
The first report said 12,000 gallons of sewage had been spilled, but the final figure showed the total was approximately 35,000 gallons. Only the liquid part of the wastewater leaked through small holes with no solids, said Vakarcs. The material leaked from the west side of the Brownsville Highway over a steep incline into a natural area.
“Our employees take the spills very seriously,” said Vakarcs. “We all hate it when this has to happen. That’s why we’re in the process of replacing the pipe. “
The staff on duty check the area every day. Kitsap Public Health staff also visited the website but had no serious concerns.
The 40-year-old pipe exhibited hydrogen sulfide corrosion, which was found in a number of locations in the Kitsap County area. You can have 40-year-old pipes with no problems, Vakarcs said, but the corrosion put sewers on the list of capital projects that need to be done.
The Old Military Road serves as a detour around the road closure.
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