Big Creek Water replacing lines

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By Stan Welch
The Big Creek Water District will begin replacing more than 24 miles of old water lines in the coming weeks, according to general manager Chuck Cortez. Cortez told The Journal that 128,000 feet of line, originally installed in the late Sixties and early Seventies will be replaced over the next several months. The old line, comprised of PVC pipe, will be replaced by iron pipe, which Cortez says should have a life of seventy to eighty years. “Hopefully, we won’t have to do this again anytime soon.”
The $4.5 million project is being funded by the United States Department of Agriculture, and is expected to be finished by late 2012 or early 2013. The smallest pipe installed will be six inch diameter, with some eight inch and ten inch lines also included, depending on location and pressure requirements.
The areas where construction will take place include the stretch of Highway 8 from Midway Road to Palmetto High School Road. Also, two stretches of line from Joe Black Road from Highway 8 to Beaverdam Road, and Highway 20 from Williamston almost to Belton will be replaced.
Construction, which is being done by J&M Construction, of Pendleton, is scheduled to start any day, said Cortez. J& M Construction was the low bid among eight contractors who placed bids.