JEA is set to begin work on a four-month project to replace some portions of the water and sewer systems within the Ponte Vedra Municipal Service District (MSD).
With an anticipated start date of Aug. 21 and a projected completion date of Dec. 30, the project will impact some residents of San Juan Drive, Pablo Road and Pablo Drive, as work crews cap aging sewer and water mains and install new pipes. According to Greg Corcoran, manager of project outreach for JEA, the impetus for the project came from the need to replace an aging sewer force main that is currently located between The Pointe Condominiums and the Ponte Vedra Inn & Club golf course.
“The main purpose of this project is for us to relocate the sewer force main,” Corcoran told attendees at the Aug. 8 meeting of the MSD trustees. “If we ever had a problem, it would be very difficult for our team to get back there for repairs.”
Plans call for Callaway Contracting to cap and abandon that sewer force main, along with water and sewer mains running near Pablo Drive. New water and sewer pipes will then be routed along a portion of Pablo Road, Pablo Drive and San Juan Drive. Replacing the water main and water service lines – the smaller lines that connect the water main to individual homes – should improve water pressure in the area, Corcoran said.
“A lot of times when people are having water pressure problems, it’s not the water main, but the water services,” he said.
Callaway will also remove the existing sewer pipes along the neighborhood’s pedestrian footbridge. Due to concerns about the bridge’s structural integrity, Corcoran said, a structural engineer will examine the bridge before removing the pipes, and re-check it for signs of any damage upon completion.
Road closures
Corcoran said that while crews would keep the road open in the mornings and evenings so local residents can get in and out of the neighborhood, there will be some midday road closures when portions of the roads will be closed to through traffic.
“That is going to be an inconvenience and we apologize for that,” he said.
In order to limit disruption as much as possible, crews will work down the road in sections. According to JEA Project Engineer Robert Phillips, workers will dig up a section of the road, replace the sewer main, then go back and replace the water main along that same section. The road will then be paved with asphalt before crews move on to the next section.
“Not a lot of contractors are willing to do that,” noted Gary Jurenovich, chairman of the MSD trustees.
Crews will also give advance notice when they will be working directly in front of certain homes and driveways will be blocked. Because the crews will be working on the road in sections, Phillips said, residents will already know they’re coming down the street and have a sense of when they will be in front of their home.
“You can see them gradually coming down the road, so it’s not a surprise,” he assured.
In addition, crews will leave door hangers on homes the day before so residents will have time to move their cars.
“You will have access to your driveway all the time except when we are working directly in front of it,” Phillips said.
Once all the new pipes have been laid and the system tested, crews will notify residents by knocking on doors when they are ready to transfer the system over to the new sewer and water systems. Callaway will then mill and repave the entire road and return any gutters, driveways or sidewalks impacted to their pre-construction condition.
Residents with questions about the project can call (904) 665-7500 or visit jea.com/pontevedraws.
