November might not be known as road construction season, but barrels are just what village drivers will find this month on part of East Flint Street.
Work has finally started on the long-awaited watermain project, starting with a stretch from Washington to Perry.
Based on recommendations from Village Manager JoAnn Van Tassel and Tom Biehl of Hubbell, Roth & Clark, the village awarded a contract in September for the entire project to C & P Construction Co, Inc., in the amount of just over $1 million.
At their Oct. 22 meeting, the village council altered the contract slightly, replacing a fire hydrant at Perry & Flint Street, adding one at the northeast corner of Washington and Flint, and delaying one aspect of the project at the residential end approaching Miller Road.
The project, which has been previously profiled in The Review, has been in the works for some time.
It started last week, after the village delayed action to finalize the contract and keep things clear for trick-or-treaters.
‘If you ask an engineer how long a watermain is going to last, we say 50 years, plus or minus,? Biehl said.
‘We have watermains in many of our towns that go as much as 80 years, and some that break and have problems at 40 years. On average, 50 years is a good barometer.?
The current watermains in the business district have gotten their 50-year term in, according to Biehl.
‘Replacement of those mains is really mandatory,? he said.
In addition, Biehl said adding 12-inch watermains in the downtown area will bring the village up to the most preferred current insurance codes.
The area at the far end of the project will be delayed until the end of the project, and possibly even ruled out.
Biehl said the mains east of Perry are only about 34-years-old and their current eight-inch status is sufficient.
‘For a residential fire flow, you need about 1,500 gallons per minute,? Biehl said. ‘An eight-inch watermain is satisfactory to provide that flow.?
‘It’s newer than the other mains,? he added. ‘You’re probably going to get 14, 16 or maybe even 25 years out of it.?
Even if the main is not replaced, the village plans to replace the water service system in that area.
For now, drivers will find traffic altered slightly from Washington to Perry, with the M-24 to Washington portion slated for early spring.
Van Tassel said no road closures are expected on this first part of the project, and a final paving of the entire stretch of Flint will take place once all the watermain work is completed.