APOPKA, Fla. — Apopka leaders have hired an engineering firm to investigate after a suspected sinkhole opened up underneath a pump in a city retention pond that is used to store reclaimed water, the mayor said.
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The 300-million-gallon pond on Golden Gem Road first started leaking about seven weeks ago. The hole and subsequent water movement tore a gash through the liner of the pond, mayor Bryan Nelson explained.
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Nelson said the pond was only five feet deep at the time the hole appeared instead of its maximum 30 feet, which prevented a bigger catastrophe. He said the expected repair cost ranges between $200,000 and $400,000, depending on what the engineering firm recommends.
The retention pond was a backup water source and there are no impacts to residents or the city, he said. The water is treated, so there are no environmental impacts.
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A spokeswoman for the St. Johns Water Management District said the agency was aware of the incident.
There is no timeline for the repair.
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