Remember that sinkhole in Lake Montebello near the water filtration plant? It’s likely going to take two more months and $10 million for the Department of Public Works to fix it, according to city officials.
Let that sink in.
Department spokesperson Jennifer Combs said that recent the resignation of public works Director Jason Mitchell did not delay or impact the timeline, adding that Mitchell set the department on a “solid path” to fixing the huge hole that has cut off some access to the park. Mitchell, who came to Baltimore from Oakland in 2021, resigned earlier in January amid criticism from the City Council.
The city has been working on the sinkhole since it first formed in November, limiting pedestrian access to the area. City inspectors found that a portion of the 140-year-old storm drain had collapsed about a year ago, said Timothy Wolfe, chief of engineering and construction at DPW. The department had started assembling a plan of action then, but it’s hard to pinpoint the reasons the sinkhole opened, Wolfe said.
“Well, obviously, trying to know exactly how something happened at 60 feet underground is definitely always difficult,” he said.
The city placed a temporary 48-inch water main bypass — a connection pipe above the ground — on Dec. 15 as it worked to repair the 84-inch water transmission, which is not currently operating. That change will allow the city to continue to supply water to the eastern part of the city and parts of Baltimore County.
The city is currently monitoring water levels to make sure it has the proper supply and pressure for residents, commercial buildings, and hospitals, as well as for fire hydrants and pumps.
Normally, between 40 and 70 million gallons of water flow through the 84-inch main per day. The main was unstable, and if it had collapsed, it could have caused flooding and erosion.
The city also had to shut off the main to ensure safety of workers who were repairing the drain.
