(WSB photo, last Thursday)

Last Thursday, we reported on a broken 27-inch sewer pipe beneath Beach Drive just north of Lowman Beach. It’s a King County pipe, and the Wastewater Treatment Division has just announced plans for repair work later this week:

The parts needed for the pipe repair are scheduled to arrive tomorrow. We expect to begin the repair on Friday, March 11. At the start of work, contractors will close one lane of traffic. Work is currently planned to continue through Sunday. Upon completion of the repair a temporary patch of hot mix asphalt will return the road to an open condition. King County will return to complete the final restoration of the road at a future date.

During the work, one lane will be closed to traffic, so flaggers will be there to direct people through the area. Work windows are 7 am-7 pm weekdays, 9 am-7 pm weekends. As for the leak’s cause, KCWTD spokesperson Marie Fiore tells WSB, “Sand and grit has scoured the 70+/- year old concrete pipe, which wears it away with time and use. The parallel pipe is in good condition, as it experiences less use.” That parallel pipe is where the flow from the leaky one has been redirected until repairs are made.