City looking into $4.6 million water line project

The city of Graham hired consulting engineering and architectural groups Jacob & Martin and Halff Associates to propose estimates for projects to help with water pressure at Timber Ridge and Spivey Hill and for a larger water replacement project for water lines around the city. Jacob & Martin worked on estimates for the pressure systems while Halff Associates worked on the estimates for water line replacement.

In the water line replacement survey, six section of water lines were surveyed for a cost of replacement by Halff Associates. The total construction cost for all six replacement projects was estimated at $4,615,646. Graham City Manager Brandon Anderson said at a budget meeting on Tuesday, July 14, that the city was already planning on replacing the lines.

“Originally, what we had planned a couple of years ago was to try to generate about $400,000 in revenue in the water department. That’s part of the reason we took the bite that we did in water rates when we did it and we have done that. And so my plan was (with) a project like this you could pay off in 10 years (…) at $400,000 in payment, but the engineer firm, you guys tell me and it depends on where we get in terms of interest, but they will finance it for 30 years and there is no pre-payment penalty so they are recommending to go ahead and make an application for the 30-year application,” he said. “I am worried. If we do 30 years, I am wondering if we shouldn’t try to find a few more and get them wrapped up into this project so we can make a very substantial (impact) on those water lines, but I would still hope and barring any situation at the wastewater treatment plant, that you get them paid back in that 10-year plan that you were looking at anyway, but again, if we end up getting it at 0% interest that’s some nice flexibility to have.”

Anderson asked at the meeting if anyone on the council was opposed to him continuing the process and getting a completed package from the engineering firm to present to city council in the future in order to move the project along, with no objections from the present council members

For the rest of the story, see the July 22 edition of The Graham Leader.