(The Center Square) – Pierce County will soon begin construction on urgent repairs to a sewer pipe in Lakewood after a recent inspection of wastewater infrastructure.
Repairs will begin in early 2025. The project is expected to take at least six months, according to a news release, and is estimated to cost between $7 million to $8 million.
A fall video inspection identified a sewer pipe along Bridgeport Way West in the city of Lakewood in need of immediate repairs.
The reinforced concrete pipe was damaged over time by hydrogen sulfide, which is a gas present in wastewater.
In turn, Pierce County Executive Bruce Dammeier signed an emergency proclamation on Dec. 23 to enable the county to secure contractors and go through with the repairs.
The segment of pipe in need of repairs was originally scheduled for repairs or replacement in 2029.
The video inspection of the sewer pipe was added in the 2024-2025 budget in order to increase monitoring of wastewater infrastructure. This helps plan for future preservation needs.
A sewer bypass will first be installed prior to the repairs in order to divert most of the wastewater flow and prevent further damages to the aging pipe.
Pierce County is coordinating with the cities of Lakewood and University Place on the construction work and timeline. A start date and any traffic impacts will be announced as soon as they are available.
In the meantime travelers can continue to use Bridgeport Way West.