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(CITY OF GRAHAM | CONTRIBUTED PHOTO) A map showing in blue are where PVC pipes have been installed in the city and in red are projects for Kentucky Street and Tennessee Street to replace waterlines. The project is estimated to cost $300,000 which will be used from existing funds in the Water Capital Fund.
As part of a continuing effort to replace aging water lines within the city, a waterline project will be moving forward at Tennessee Street and Kentucky Street in Graham.
The Graham City Council met Thursday, Dec. 4 and approved City Manager Eric Garretty to create a waterline replacement project and appropriation of $300,000 from existing funds in the Water Capital Fund for the project.
“These two water main projects reflect our effort to continue replacement of aging mains with new PVC mains,” Garretty said. “Council may recall we previously had an emergency replacement of the water main in this same area on Virginia Street. Randall and I are concerned that the water mains on Tennessee and Kentucky streets are rapidly aging to the point of failure.”
In August 2024, the city council granted the city manager emergency contracting authority for repair and construction of a waterline on Virginia Street.
Fambro Construction of Stephenville was chosen as the contractor to emplace 900 feet of new waterline along Virginia Street between Brazos Street and South Street.
The council allocated $300,000 for the project on the line that was failing.
The critical failure in the water main resulted in the city being unable to maintain static water pressure.
Garretty said Thursday that the new project was not included in the final budget requests for FY 25-26 due to the fact that the city was assessing the lines and determining the probable cost for their replacement.
“The Water Capital Fund has a current cash balance of $1.9 million,” he said. “Of that amount, $1.3 million is reserved for currently budgeted projects and current liabilities. We estimate there’s $600,000 in unrestricted cash available in that Water Capital Fund to provide monies for this project.”
The project will place approximately 1,700 feet of new PVC water lines and benefit 33 city customers by improving water flow and pressure. The projected areas on both streets will be from Brazos Street to South Street.
Public Works Director Randall Dawson provided a map of the proposed project and provided an update on proposed future replacement projects from the city.
“(We will be) doing these two blocks, and then in the future we’ll finish Brazos Street, and that will put PVC lines from Cherry Street all the way to Indiana Street, running north and south, along with the east and west, from South Street to Brazos Street,” Dawson said. “Once we finish that, then we will move north and do the same thing in the blocks between South Street and First Street and just continue all the way down.”
In December 2024, the city manager said that as the infrastructure continues to age, projects like the emergency work that was completed on Virginia Street could become more common.
“We’re going to get down to the point where, (with) these kinds of replacements, we simply have no choice,” Garretty said.
