Williamsburg officials are hoping to start work this summer to replace some of the town’s oldest water lines.
Surface lines and meters will be replaced along Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth and Sycamore streets from the river to the railroad tracks as part of the project, said Williamsburg Mayor Roddy Harrison.
He noted that these are the oldest lines in town.
Harrison told the Williamsburg City Council during its monthly meeting Monday night that he had met earlier in the day with Summit Engineers about the water project.
“It was a pretty lengthy meeting, but we are in the process now,” he said.
Harrison said a new waterline will be placed going from the Cumberland River to the Highland Park tank, and there will be two waterlines placed going across Cumberland River near the Cumberland Avenue bridge. One of those lines will primarily serve as a back-up in case something happens to the primary line.
“If something happens heaven forbid, we can convert it right over to the other one and the town won’t go without water,” he said.
This will avoid placing any lines under the floodwall.
If the permits all come through as expected, Harrison said that the project could go to bid in May with construction starting at some point this summer. He said that the project will probably take about one year.
In addition, Harrison is hoping to place a new line going up to Curd Avenue provided there is enough funding during this phase of the project.
The hydrological study for the project is 98 percent completed and Harrison is hoping that the project will go to bid in May with construction starting this summer. It will probably take about one year to complete depending on any other issues encountered while doing the work.
The next oldest waterlines would probably be around Ridge Avenue, Pine Street and around the baseball field.
Harrison is hoping to replace surface lines and water meters along those streets and South Fifth Street during the second phase of the project, which will go up Main Street from the railroad tracks.
“I want to see the water project and expansion of the waterpark through, so I am wanting to move quickly,” Harrison said. “I am going to try and get it going as fast as we can.”
The city received $4 million for the project about two and one-half years ago.
The city is going to seek grant money and other funding sources for the second phase of the project. Harrison said that, if necessary, the city will seek a loan from the Kentucky Infrastructure Authority.
If the city can get enough additional money, it is also hoping to place at least one elevated water tank in town possibly around the University of the Cumberlands and/or along KY-92W.
A new tank along KY-92W would relieve a lot of pressure on the Mt. Morgan tank. A new tank near UC would help take care of both sides of town along with the university, Harrison said.
“An elevated water tank is what you see in some other towns that look like a big bubble up in the sky that have writing on it,” Harrison said.
“It could say Williamsburg Y’all,” joked Councilwoman Erica Harris in reference to the famous Florence water tank.
