More than $1 million in repairs for pipes, pumps and sinkholes prompted questions Monday morning from members of the Project Wide Advisory Committee.
There have been several “unexpected repair costs for depression repairs” and stormwater pipe repairs, according to a memo from Budget Director Brandy Cook to the Project Wide Advisory Committee.
The estimated depression repair costs include grout repairs, basin liner repairs and geo-technical inspections at an estimated cost of $824,166. Based on pipe inspections, several emergency stormwater pipe replacements were necessary at an estimated cost of $200,000.
Officials were ready to accept the inevitability of sinkholes, which occur because of the karst limestone on which The Villages has been built. However, PWAC members questioned the hardware – the pipes and pumps which have failed.
“Do we have an idea of how many of these pipe problems we are dealing with depressions versus flaws in construction? Are we finding these have not been done properly?” asked PWAC member Don Brozick, who represents CDD 11 in the Fruitland Park section of The Villages.
Director of Property Management Bruce Brown said the problems are not due to construction flaws.
“It’s infrastructure and it wears out,” Brown said.
Meanwhile, two flood control pumps at Lake Sumter have failed and will require rebuild. The estimated cost to rebuild them and run temporary pumps is $92,000.
The pumps were replaced about four years ago, in the wake of Hurricane Irma.
The pumps were designed to last 10 to 15 years, Brown said. He said some of the costs could be recovered through a warranty.