Naples to replace aging sewer pipes under the Gordon River and Rock Creek

The city of Naples plans to replace aging sewer pipes near the bottom of the Gordon River and Rock Creek. 

“They’re old,” said Bob Middleton, the city’s utilities director. “If they break, there’s concerns of sewer going into surface water, which is an environmental issue.” 

The pipes are made of iron, according to a March memo to the Naples City Council. That makes them vulnerable to corrosion. They are also vulnerable to damage because of their location at shallow depths under the Gordon River and Rock Creek, according to the memo. 

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The city has not noticed any water quality impacts from the pipes, called force mains, on the Gordon River or Rock Creek, Middleton said. 

In the March memo to the city council, Middleton recognized the importance of the project to the city and its waterways.

“The proposed subaqueous force main improvements are high priority due to the proximity to the marine waters of Naples Bay and vital to the long-term health and safety of the City and its surrounding waters,” the March memo states. 

Collier County Waterkeeper monitors the Gordon River for indicators of fecal bacteria, said Waterkeeper Colleen Gill. 

"Based on our testing, the levels have been low during the dry season this year, so there is no indication that there are major leaks," Gill said in an email. 

Although Waterkeeper doesn’t like to see work being done around the river, Gill is encouraged by the city’s project, she said.

“Maintaining our wastewater infrastructure is imperative to keep the watershed and surrounding environment, so we support these improvements as long as maintaining the health and vitality of the River and mangroves are taken into consideration during the work,” Gill said. 

Replacing the force mains

This will be the first time the city replaces the two pipes under the Gordon River and Rock Creek, Middleton said. He said he did not know the age of the pipes.

“We do a lot of these force main replacements. These have just come up on our radar in the past year,” he said. “It’s probably best to get these things replaced. We just don’t want any leaking sewer into bodies of water.” 

The Naples City Council in March approved a nearly $70,000 contract with Massachusetts-based Weston & Sampson Engineers to replace the two pipes. 

About 1,400 feet of 20-inch force main under the Gordon River and 900 feet of the 16-inch force main under Rock Creek are expected to be replaced. 

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The new pipelines will be made of high-density polyethylene, a type of plastic, according to the city memo. The material will “ensure long term reliability and resist corrosion,” the memo states. 

The engineering firm will use a horizontal drill to install the pipes. The design of the project is taking place now and will take a couple of months, Middleton said. Construction is budgeted for the next fiscal year. 

The pipes are critical points in the city’s wastewater collection system, according to the city memo. 

The force main under Rock Creek carries wastewater from Royal Harbor north to the sewage treatment plant near the Naples Airport. The force main under the Gordon River carries wastewater from the city’s northern boundary south to the same plant, according to the city. 

The city plans to replace another force main in addition to the two under the Gordon River and Rock Creek. 

The Naples City Council on April 15 will consider an $833,000 contract with construction company PWC Joint Venture LLC to replace a sewer force main at Park Shore Drive. 

Brittany Carloni is the city of Naples reporter at the Naples Daily News. Support her work by subscribing to our local news organization. Find her on Twitter as @CarloniBrittany.