Why are we doing this water line project?

Happy Friday! I hope you have had a chance to catch sight of Monarch butterflies on their annual migration to Mexico. We have had spectacular displays in our backyard where we still have some flowering shrubs and trees. Along with the moisture and slightly cooler temperatures, it feels like Fall, and I know I am blessed to be in this beautiful place.

With that said, if you live, work, shop or worship in town it would be hard to avoid the signs of our major project to replace old cast iron water lines. It was suggested to me by someone dear that as a city we could do a better job of communicating around why we are creating this - well - mess. As a city we are very aware of the benefits of the project and this allows us to stay positive as there are disruptions, and I'd like you to be able to see the silver lining as well.

We received a no interest loan to replace most of our cast iron water lines. The cost of the loan is already included in water rates. 

Cast iron lines are prone to rust, restricting flow and resulting in water that is safe but discolored and distasteful. Aged cast iron lines are prone to failure and are expensive and difficult to repair.

Our project is challenging due to the density and fragility of existing lines and presence of unmarked lines. I was literally standing at the location of the W. Travis line break today and a contractor's routine power washing delivered sufficient force to damage a 100 year old cast iron line. I liken this to a project executed on top of an archaeological dig. 

As a city we meet daily with the contractor and onsite inspector and monitor activities to reduce the potential for breaks that result in water outages and boil water notices. We learn from disruptions and stay focused on having the work done in a way that sets the stage many years of problem-free lines.

This project has benefited from the leveling out of construction costs. Within our budget we have been able to issue change orders to increase the scope of the project to replace/extend more lines and create a loop feeding the NE part of town. I have come to understand that loops are good in a water system as they allow water to reach a customer through multiple paths and prevent stagnation. The project is a fixed bid and extensions to schedule do not increase our project cost, although we do absorb the additional demands on our staff. The line upgrade south of town along Hwy 919 and at the I-20 intersection is customer-funded and separate from the project I am referencing here.

The reason I was at the W. Travis dig site was to remind the contractor we need barriers to holes shored up as we have trick-or-treaters and heavy traffic out tomorrow evening following the Fall Festival. 

I am happy to hear from you about specific issues or general frustrations related to the project or any topic. We have had an unusual volume of infrastructure projects this year. I get tired of it, and I do not even have a hole that has been in front of my house for months. I am very excited to see where Gordon is in the not-too-distant future.

Sincerely,

Mayor Sherrye Mills