May 18, 2023: FKAA Director Addresses Monroe County Commission on Water Issues

Source: Key West Citizen | Published: May 18, 2023

Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority Executive Director Greg Veliz addressed the Monroe County Commission on Wednesday, May 17, about a series of water line main breaks and the FKAA’s efforts replacing the aging main water line, which have caused traffic issues in the Upper Keys.

FKAA contractors just completed replacing 900 feet of piping under the water in the Tea Table Fill and workers are now replacing 5 miles of line from Mile Marker 79 to Mile Marker 84, according to Veliz. The FKAA is replacing the line with a 36-inch steel pipe, which portions are being placed under the southbound lanes of traffic on U.S. 1, which is causing the traffic to be diverted on the highway. Southbound traffic is being shifted to the northbound lane, and northbound traffic is shifted to the pull-over lane, but both lanes of traffic have remained open, Veliz said.

Veliz expects that work to be completed by 2024, he told The Keys Citizen following his presentation. The FKAA then plans to start replacing nearly 2 miles of pipe on Windley Key and 5 miles of pipe on Plantation Key, Veliz said. However, the funding for Windley Key and Plantation work has not been secured, as well as the rest of the replacement work throughout the Florida Keys, Veliz said.

The cost of replacing the line is currently estimated to be between $8 to $10 million a mile, with the total cost of upgrading the line and the FKAA’s system, which included upgrades and work at the two Keys desalination plants and the plant in Florida City, at roughly $2 billion, Veliz said.

Veliz’s update comes after the FKAA had three major water main line breaks in March, which has led to the FKAA reducing water pressure throughout the Keys and the closing of schools, government offices and courthouses on March 9. The FKAA reduced the water pressure following the line breaks, but has gradually made small increases in pressure, Veliz told county commissioners.

Click here to read the full "FKAA Director Addressses Monroe County Commissoin on Water Issues" article on the Key West Citizen website.