In a recent update, St. Johns County Utilities confirmed that there will be no interruption to water or sewer services, despite a major sewer main being severed at the Anastasia Island Wastewater Facility. The main break occurred around 10:30 p.m. on Wednesday due to severe weather, and the utility company's response was quick and effective. As detailed in an announcement from St. Johns County, they have urged residents "to not fish or swim in the Intracoastal Waterway near State Road 312 until water quality testing is completed due to the sanitary sewer overflow."
St. Johns County Utilities crews arrived on-site by 6 a.m. the next morning to contain the sewer overflow into two stormwater ponds. They manually pumped the excess directly into the wastewater treatment basins. An emergency response was also initiated with a local contractor. An emergency response was initiated with a local contractor at hand. The goal is to get a temporary sewer main to bypass the flow as crews "will work around the clock to expedite the process," a statement obtained by the St. Johns County's website.
For those wanting more information, St. Johns County Utilities has a plan in place. After installing a temporary bypass, the next step is to restore the stormwater ponds to working order. The goal is to install a new, permanent sewer main to ensure the long-term reliability of the island's sewage system. Residents with concerns or questions can contact the Citizen Information Hotline at 904-824-5550.
St. Johns County Emergency Management has encouraged the public to stay informed through various channels. Citizens can follow updates on Facebook, sign up for the Alert St. Johns emergency notification system, and register for Nixle Alerts by texting StJohnsEOC to 888777. The St. Johns County Connect app is another resource where users can enable notifications to receive important updates.
