Water Line Projects Going On This Week In Asheville

The following press release was sent to wspa.com on Tuesday by the city of Asheville:
WEST ASHEVILLE WATER LINE REPLACEMENT PROJECT UPDATE

The West Asheville water line repair and replacement projects continue by the City of Asheville’s Water Resources Department as part of a series of projects paid for by the $40 million revenue bond Asheville City Council approved in 2007. The following list is an update for water line installation and associated sidewalk work and milling:

• LOUISIANA AVENUE
Sidewalk work is scheduled to begin immediately.

• FLORIDA AVENUE, MARDELL CIRCLE, BRYANT STREET AND KENDALL STREET
Milling (surface preparation) will begin for the above areas on October 20, 2008, paving will follow.

Following completion of the above areas, milling and paving will continue on the following areas:
• TANGLEWOOD DRIVE, DUNWELL AVENUE, PRUITT STREET, TRYON STREET AND LOUISIANA AVENUE

• NEXT, ORMOND AVENUE, DARTMOUTH STREET, HARVARD PLACE AND PRINCETON DRIVE

• WOOD AVENUE AND PARKER ROAD
Water line construction are scheduled to begin on October 20, 2008

During construction, roadways will be reduced to one lane in work zones. Motorists should expect traffic delays and plan to use alternate routes when possible.

Impact of Improvements
These water line replacements and upgrades are a part of the City of Asheville’s commitment to upgrading aging infrastructure and ensuring reliable water service. The projects moving forward as part of the city’s bond program have been a high priority because of the age, type of pipe, and lack of fire protection in various areas of the system. With these improvements, the City of Asheville Water Resources Department will be able to provide more consistent water service to many customers. New water lines will be larger and of upgraded material and less at risk for breaks.

These projects are important improvements for the water system. The Water Resources Department realizes that construction causes inconveniences for drivers and residences; and is making every effort to minimize the impact on citizens. The city appreciates the community’s support and tolerance during these short term inconveniences as this work will improve Asheville’s water infrastructure and fire protection.

Businesses and residents are not expected to lose water service during the project until the switch to the new lines is made. The city will schedule service switchovers with the goal of avoiding customer loss of water service during peak usage hours.

Ongoing Projects
Projects in the Kenilworth area, the Central Business District, Royal Pines and Brevard Road continue to progress.

Asheville Water Resources’ bond program is financed by funds generated from a capital improvement fee that currently appears on water bills. This fee is dedicated to funding long-term water system improvements.

As the bond program progresses, additional information can be found at www.ashevillenc.gov. For further information, contact Engineering Services Manager Chad Pierce at (828) 259-5955.