LAUREL —
It’s been five months now and work on the City of Laurel’s infrastructure improvements is continuing to proceed.
Phase I of the city’s overall multi-million dollar water line replacement project began in March.
Wanda Benson with the city’s Public Relations Office said the contractor will begin work in the North Seventh Avenue area next week.
After more than a year and a half of work, the City of Laurel announced in January that it was about to embark upon a $11 million water and sewer line replacement project.
The Laurel City Council in January accepted the lowest bid of C.B. Developers, Inc. of Petal for $2,710,864.98 for the city to begin the construction work.
The project called 2009 SRF Water Improvements Project is being funded through the State Revolving Fund Loan and $1.8 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).
Officials have repeatedly stated that the city’s current water and sewer lines were installed over 60 years ago.
The city administrator said for many years the city has sought to upgrade sewer and water lines through low-interest SRF loans and other means.
In March, the city awarded a contract for the 2009 SRF Improvements Project totaling $2.7 million worth of construction work that is being funded with an SRF low-interest loan and $1.8 million in ARRA’s “Principal Forgiveness” funds.
As a part of the ongoing project being handled by CB Developers, new water lines have been installed along Mar-Ree Drive, Martin and Bullock Avenues, Northview Drive, Pinehaven Drive, Cherry Lane, Franklin Avenue, Crestwood Drive, Greenwood Drive, Memory Drive and 32nd Street.
Benson said work will begin on and near the North 7th Avenue area during the week of August 30th.
“We will continue to try to keep residents informed when contractors move into a new area,” she said. “Residents on these streets and in the surrounding area may experience temporary interruptions in service and/or lower water pressure over the next several weeks. Residents are encouraged to contact United Water at 601-428-6464 if an Interruption of service or low pressure occurs after 5 p.m., on the weekend or any time the contractor appears not be working on site; or the interruption of service lasts longer than three hours.”
Officials said the Mississippi Department of Health monitors all water line improvement projects. If the water system loses pressure, MSDH or the water system will issue a boil water notice.
The MSDH website states that MSDH will test water samples collected from water supply systems and must have two consecutive days of clear test samples before the boil water notice is lifted.
“It takes MSDH 24 hours to receive test results back from the collected samples,” according to the MSDH. “Typically, it takes 48 to 72 hours to find out whether water is safe to drink from contaminated water supply systems.”
Benson said the city will continue to issue the notices when necessary.
She said the city is encouraging everyone to have patience while improvements are being made throughout the city.
According to officials, the water line improvements are a part of the city’s five-year and ten-year plan.
Officials said the capital improvement projects are needed to improve the low pressure areas of the city, improve fire flow, create redundancy within system and provide for residential and economic growth.
Work on Phase I of the project began in the Mar-Ree Drive area in March.
Officials said the construction of the Phase I Water Improvement Project is expected to take a little over a year to complete.
Local News
Related Photos
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Work on Phase I of the City of Laurel’s Water line Improvement Project is moving forward. Pictured are workers with Walters Construction Company working on Memory Lane to prepare the street for the installation of new water lines. Photo/Eloria Newell James
Work continues on city’s infrastructure improvements
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