Madison Avenue project uncovers wastewater leak

Once again some of the city's earliest infrastructure came back to haunt a modern project.

As work began Tuesday on the Madison Avenue sewer line project for the Pivot Point hotel and conference center under construction along the riverfront, the contractor noticed a sewage smell, reported Dave Nash, city of Yuma spokesman.

Upon investigating, crews found a leak in an old but still active low-flow sewer line. Wastewater from the leak was traveling outside the pipe to a long-forgotten stormwater drainage line, Nash said. As a result, a "minuscule" amount of wastewater entered the Colorado River at Gateway Park, he said.

The leak was found about 1:30 p.m. and was determined to have been leaking about three hours, Nash said. He added that the leak included only "settled" wastewater and no solids. And it was determined that only a small amount of wastewater entered the river, he added.

No one was observed at the park or downstream of the river at the time of the discovery, he said. The Yuma County Health Department was notified but the park was not closed.

As a precaution, the lines were pumped out and flushed with a super chlorinated mixture. The concrete at Gateway Park also was sprayed with chlorinated water as a precaution, he said.

Nash said the old lines date back to the late 1800s or early 1900s when the wastewater and storm drain lines were connected. The connection had since been cemented over.

The sewer line was still active but at "very low-flow levels." The storm line was no longer documented in city files and city officials weren't aware of its existence.

"Undocumented infrastructure is a recurring theme for downtown redevelopment," Nash said.

It's unknown what caused the leak, but perhaps it was a combination of work starting today (Wednesday) on the sewer updating project and the age of the old line, he said.

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Joyce Lobeck can be reached at jlobeck@yumasun.com or 539-6853.