Dive Brief:
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Seattle Public Utilities is investigating local construction contractors to find out which one dumped concrete into a sewer pipe, causing it to clog.
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The concrete is blocking 70 feet of the pipe, forcing the city to dig into the street to replace the pipe, a job that could will cost about $350,000 and take up to five weeks.
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A Seattle Public Utilities official told KIRO-TV that the agency will be able to identify the dumper by matching the type of concrete in the pipe with the kind used on nearby construction sites.
Dive Insight:
What might have seemed like an easy way to dispose of leftover concrete could cost the responsible construction company $350,000 plus, as the city intends to go after the dumper for restitution. “There’s no reason that our customers will have to pay for something like this,” an Seattle Public Utilities spokesman told the TV station.