Crews work to fix Lakeland sinkhole off Scott Lake, property owner given 30 days to complete repairs

LAKELAND ― Construction crews were working feverishly Monday, trying to fill a sinkhole that formed off Scott Lake Road in Lakeland last week. The exact status of their progress, however, remains unclear.

The sinkhole that formed just south of Fitzgerald Road, last Thursday is being filled in by an excavator as trucks full of dirt arrive on site. The hole was measured to be approximately 75-feet wide by 25-feet deep.

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Officials said a private company hired by the property's owner was drilling when it hit a pressurized pocket and caused a collapse. Officials also could not provide The Ledger with further details on whether the sinkhole has grown since Saturday as it's located on private property.

Polk County Fire Rescue personnel were standing by to monitor the area, according to spokeswoman Katelyn Hovercamp, in case it began to interfere with the county's roads and property. She said there has been no structure damage as of Monday afternoon.

Scott Lake Road remained closed between Old Scott Lake Road and Fitzgerald Road.

The sinkhole is located on property listed as owned by Acres at Scott Lake, LLC, and Lakeland residents Debra and Joseph Kedzuf, according to SunBiz.org.

Southwest Florida Water Management District sent notice of a complaint investigation dated June 9 to the Debra Kedzuf's attention. The letter states the sinkhole formed in a stormwater retention pond located at the northern end of the project site.

The district warned Kedzuf it is the property owner's responsibility to "immediately repair the sinkhole in order to sever the connection between the retention pond and the drinking water aquifer."

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The Ledger was unable to reach the Kedzufs through their listed businesses' phone numbers.

Susanna Martinez Tarokh, SFWMD spokeswoman, said staff found the water level for Scott Lake has been stable over the last two weeks. The lake's overall water levels increased by roughly an inch to due Saturday's heavy rains. "We cannot make any predictions about the sinkhole’s behavior, or whether or not it could spread into Scott Lake," Tarokh said. In June 2006, a sinkhole near Scott Lake nearly drained the 285-acre waterbody, leaving only scattered pools. It took over a decade for the lake to refill and wildlife to return.

The water district has given property owners 30 days to submit a remediation plan from a licensed geotechnical engineering consultant or geologist and complete the necessary repairs. Sara-Megan Walsh can be reached at swalsh@theledger.com or 863-802-7545. Follow on Twitter @SaraWalshFl.

This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Crews scrambling to South Lakeland sinkhole