Storms and flooding cause sewer main break in Cape Girardeau

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Storms and flooding have caused additional problems for the city of Cape Girardeau, as Alliance Water Resources reports a sewer main break near the loading docks in the area. The break, which occurred over the weekend, involves a 24-inch force main that burst near the railroad tracks by the dry docks.

J.J. Ridings, local manager for Alliance Water Resources, explained that repairs are delayed due to ongoing flooding in the area. The company is waiting for water levels to recede before starting repairs.

“The issue is that with all the storms and creeks being up, the system has significant inflow and infiltration problems,” Ridings said. “When the creeks rise, water infiltrates the sewer system, which is designed to handle stormwater.”

Initially, Ridings had hoped to begin repairs today, but high water levels are preventing work from starting. He noted that the crew only has a brief window of time to perform repairs—about two minutes and 14 seconds—before the pump system turns back on.

“We were hoping to get started today, but now we expect to begin work on Thursday,” Ridings said.

Ridings assured residents that the sewer break will not affect them directly. The only impact will be a temporary road closure near the dry docks during repairs.

“There will be no impact on residents’ sewer service,” Ridings said. “This is a pressurized system, so when it breaks, the sewer water just comes out at the location. There’s no risk of a backup.”

As for the extent of the damage, Ridings said they won’t know until repairs begin. However, he anticipates that around 20 feet of the sewer main will need to be replaced, which could cost around $7,500.