Residents in Lexington County Frustrated by Fiber Optic Construction Chaos
In Lexington County, South Carolina, many residents find themselves feeling frustrated and somewhat forgotten as construction work by a fiber optic company has led to significant disruptions. The troubles began last week when subcontractors working for Lumos Fiber accidentally struck a water main line in the Murraywood subdivision, causing a series of unfortunate events that have left several homes and streets in disarray.
A Sinkhole Emerges
It was on the morning of Wednesday, September 11, when Annette Briggs, a local resident, witnessed a dramatic scene unfold right in front of her home. She described looking out her window to see what seemed like “a river in the road,” as water gushed from multiple points after the incident. “The road really just swelled up, and water was just coming out everywhere,” she recalled during an interview. This all occurred on Willowbend Court, a street in the Irmo area of Lexington County, where the unfortunate water main strike took place.
The situation took a turn for the worse when a portion of the road next to Briggs’ home collapsed under the weight of a Columbia Water truck. Residents watched as water rushed downhill, lifting sections of the pavement and creating what appeared to be a fault line along the street. For many homes nearby, this incident meant not only the inconvenience of blocked driveways and garages but also loss of water service and even brown water for 24 hours.
Stop Work Order Issued
In response to the damages caused, Lexington County officials quickly issued a stop work order to Lumos, emphasizing the need to pause all construction activities in the area. “It is in the best interest to cease work immediately in Lexington County due to the damages done in Murraywood Subdivision,” stated an email from the county’s Public Works department.
The correspondence made it clear that Lumos would need to provide a Corrective Action Plan to rectify the mess. Meanwhile, Columbia Water stepped up, taking responsibility for the mishap and admitting that their utility line markings had been incorrect. “Typically, where there are plastic water lines, there’s a tracer wire that helps us locate them,” explained Clint Shealy, the Assistant City Manager for Columbia Water. “Because there was no tracer wire in this particular subdivision, the markings we had were inaccurate, leading to the water line strike.”
Ongoing Challenges for Residents
For Briggs and her neighbors, the ongoing situation has created daily challenges. With her garage now blocked, she has to navigate her way through gravel and mud just to access her car parked down the road. “I can’t use my garage at all now,” she lamented. “It’s just not accessible,” she continued, elaborating on the struggle of carrying her belongings back and forth.
Adding to her frustrations, she now has to pick up her mail from the post office because the delivery service has deemed the road unsafe. “It just feels like we’ve been forgotten. It’s not important, like it’s not a priority,” she expressed about the lack of repair activity. As of Monday, no crews were seen making any repairs, leaving residents feeling abandoned during this difficult time.
Looking Ahead
Columbia Water has promised to have the repairs underway, weather permitting. “We apologize that this happened,” Shealy stated, underlining their efforts in marking utilities accurately and coordinating with construction crews. “On occasion, that marking is incorrect,” he added, acknowledging the rarity of such incidents.
Lumos has also acknowledged the situation, stating, “Due to inaccurate utility locates, we have paused construction in Murraywood to address the issue with the water company and other utility partners. We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your patience as we build the community’s high-speed fiber network.”
A History of Issues
This is not the first time Lumos has come under scrutiny in the Midlands. In November of the previous year, the city of Columbia issued a stop work order for all Lumos projects due to a series of gas leaks in a neighborhood. However, officials noted that communication and coordination with Lumos had improved significantly since then.
As residents in Lexington County continue to navigate the challenges brought on by this incident, they hope for swift resolutions and effective repairs so their lives can return to normal.
