Water main break causes boil water notice for neighbors and Treeline Elementary

A water main break on Treeline Avenue has issued a boil water notice for several communities as well as Treeline Elementary School.

Fort Myers City Councilman Liston Bochette spoke with WINK News Anchor Annette Montgomery, where he identified the cause.

“The break happened in the middle of a pipe, not a joint. Workers have told me that when it’s that much pressure and it’s that big of a line, the pipes vibrate. The rains that we’ve been having, they begin to drop. And there was a giant coral stone rock right near it. It was rubbing against it, and it calls the break,” Bochette said.

This is not the first or second-time neighbors have dealt with issues because of a water main break. It’s at least the third time this year. Parent Meghan Yerian said it put a dent in the first-day-of-school plans she had for her 4-year-old daughter.

“We still can’t drink the water or use it. This has been the third time, once in February, once in June, and once now,” Yerian said. “Instead of showering her at home, we had to do everything we were going to do over at my father-in-law’s house. So, it kind of made it not as special because we didn’t get to do all the fun stuff we were going to do here, and now we have to pack up and take her to school.”

In a press release, the city said the following areas are impacted: Shoppes At Pelican Preserve, Arborgate Shopping Center, Treeline Elementary, the entire Subdivisions of Whispering Palms, Colonial Country Club, C5, Pelican Preserve, Botanica Lakes, Bridgetown at The Plantation, Marina Bay, Somerset at The Plantation, Legacy Gateway, Arborwood Preserve and Town Treeline Luxury Apartments.

The northbound lanes of Treeline Avenue were temporarily closed near Treeline Elementary School on Monday morning.

The break has caused a boil water advisory to be issued for the elementary school.

According to a Treeline Elementary School Facebook post, “The kitchen will be receiving jugs of water for washing and boiling water for cooking. Hand washing stations will be delivered to the school.”

The school advises parents to send their children to school with bottled water.

The Fort Myers Police Department was on the scene for hours, redirecting traffic southbound while crews worked to repair the broken water main.

The area had seen water main break issues before Monday’s event. A neighborhood near Treeline Avenue went without water for several days in July due to water main breaks.

• RELATED: Boil water still in effect, frustrating Fort Myers neighborhood on July 4th

The northbound lanes have been reopened as of 8:15 a.m.

Councilman Bochette said the city is hopeful this won’t continue to be an issue.

“When you put these pipes that size under high, high pressure, they vibrate, and if they’ve got major boulders beside them as fill, it creates a hazardous situation for the pipes. That’s what just got from the workers, they say we see this all the time. It was a road construction issue, and it’s taking a toll on the pipes. So hopefully, this is the last, but as long as these new roads are going in and new pipes going in, there’s a there’s a period of cross your fingers.”

As for what happens next? City leaders said in a statement, “The City of Fort Myers will issue a boil water recission notice once a bacteriological survey confirms the water is safe to drink. Two consecutive days of good bacteriological survey results are required, which are verified by the Department of Environmental Protection.”