Despite unpredictable weather and potentially dangerous working conditions, COMANCO crews continue to work safely and diligently on a job site in Central Florida.
Superintendent Bill Newman and his crews are working to create a 100-acre pond on top of a gypsum stack to help manage the rainwater runoff. Once completed, the pond will provide storage for the rainwater to be tested and then safely released into our oceans and rivers.
The gypsum stack is built using a slurry material, meaning the pond’s bottom will need to be dug out by three feet to dry out. Once the material has dried, crews will continue to work on the excavation process.
Due to the machinery’s inability to make it to the bottom of the pond, dike roads were built. These roads help move machinery to the excavation sites, keeping both the machinery and the operator safe. Crews need to be mindful of the hazards they may face. The slurry material is comparable to that of a swamp and can quickly and easily sink machinery. Protective items like throw rings, window breakers, and personal flotation devices were added to each piece of equipment to be used in emergencies.
Although crews have faced constant unpredictability, they have managed to continue making significant progress. The crews have laid 4.5 million sf of 60mil liner and moved over 355,000cy of sand and soil material to cover the liner during this phase of the project. Our crews will continue to work quickly and efficiently while keeping safety #1 at all times.
