Construction Notice and Update on Riviera Bay Discharge: Patica Rd. NE / San Martin Blvd. NE and Tallahassee Drive N

Aug. 22, 2023 - Effective immediately, residents in Riviera Bay will notice construction work being performed along Patica Rd. NE. / San Martin Blvd. NE / Tallahassee Drive N.

As City of St. Petersburg crews worked to repair the cracked 24-inch main on Sunday, Aug. 20 and Monday, Aug. 21, it was determined that the entire 1-mile section of pipe has exceeded its useful life and immediate replacement is necessary. The City already budgeted and planned to replace this entire section of pipe in FY 2025, but the City will now accelerate the $3-million replacement project and start the work as soon as possible. During normal operations, the daily flow through the pipe totals 2-million gallons.

What's happening now?: City crews have stopped the leak with the installation of a clamp late Monday. The next step will be to install a bypass pipe alongside the existing pipe. This bypass pipe will be temporary until the old pipe is replaced. City crews will then be able to replace the old pipe while maintaining service through the bypass pipe.

What can residents expect?: Residents will experience construction along Patica Rd. NE / San Martin Blvd. NE and Tallahassee Drive N and intermittent road closures at the San Martin Blvd. NE Bridge. Every effort will be made to minimize disruption during construction.

Projected timeline: The entire process to build the temporary bypass pipe and put the new permanent pipe into service will take approximately two years. Timeline and construction updates will continue throughout this process.

The City of St. Petersburg apologizes for the inconvenience and appreciates your patience and cooperation.

Additionally, the public is still advised to avoid contact with Riviera Bay until further notice and water quality testing is completed. Updates can be found at www.stpete.org/RecWaterQuality.