Two sewer rehabilitation projects began in mid-September and are ahead of schedule, Pine Bluff Wastewater Utility Manager Ken Johnson said Monday.
Johnson said the two projects are replacing or rehabilitating old pipes using two different methods, neither of which involve extensive digging.
“These projects allow us to rehab the pipes in a way that minimizes disruption [the the public], saves money and restores the integrity of the pipes,” Johnson said during the monthly meeting of the Pine Bluff Wastewater Utility Commission. “We try to minimize excavation as much as possible due to the disruption it causes. Once complete, this project will add 60 years of service life to the pipes.”
Johnson said that Building and Utility Contractors Inc. of Redfield submitted the low bid for the pipe-bursting project at $83,650 and Insituform of St. Louis, Mo., submitted the low bid for the CIPP project at $320,062.
Pipe-bursting involves the insertion of replacement pipe into an existing pipe that has a smaller in diameter leading end to guide the pipe through, Johnson said.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Johnson said that CIPP stands for cured-in-place pipe, which is a process in which a liner is pulled into a sewer pipe to re-enforce the structure.
Johnson said that in the past decade the number of annual blockages decreased from 300 per year down to 30 per year, thanks to this program.
Johnson said the projects should be complete in 60 days.
In other business, the commission approved the August financial report, which showed total revenue of $482,681; total operating expenses of $431,295 and total net income of $45,487.
According to the departmental reports, in August the utility:
– Cleaned 17,242 feet of sewer lines, repaired five manholes and made six main line repairs;
– And billed 13,132 residential customers, 1,690 commercial customers, 44 industrial customers and 202 public authority customers.
The treatment plant treated 6.95 million gallons of wastewater per day in August and performed 2,296 lab tests.