(Kansas City, Mo.) KC Water’s contractor completed infrastructure repairs Sunday at the location of 3507 Gillham Road following a sinkhole cave-in last week. This included repairs of a 60” combined sewer, a 10” sanitary sewer, and a 10” water main. Street restoration was completed this evening allowing for one lane of traffic in both directions.
On June 24, 2019, at around 3:15 a.m., a passing driver reported a hole in the street on Gillham Road. KC Water crews discovered the 60” brick combined sewer failed allowing debris and soil to enter the sewer. This in turn caused the 10” sanitary sewer and the 10” water main to fail which are located directly above the 60” sewer. The sinkhole was estimated at 20 feet deep. Crews restored water to customers that same day in two apartment buildings on the east side of Gillham Road. The cost of the repairs to the infrastructure and the street are estimated at more than $700,000.
“This is an example of just how much damage our aging infrastructure can cause if it fails and what it takes to repair it. Combined with the incredibly heavy rainfall we’ve had this year, we are seeing numerous sinkholes across the city,” said Terry Leeds, KC Water Director.
Work will continue at this location as crews clean and inspect the 60” sewer upstream and downstream of the cave-in. A pipe-liner will be placed inside the repaired main to prevent additional deterioration of the sewer which will extend the life of the main for another 100 years.
For more information, please contact Heather Frierson, Media Relations Coordinator, heather.frierson@kcmo.org, 816-513-0280.
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KC Water maintains and operates water treatment and distribution systems, stormwater management systems, and wastewater collection and treatment systems for residential and business customers in Kansas City and for wholesale customers in the Kansas City area. KC Water is primarily funded by fees charged to customers based on their use or impacts on the three utility systems.
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