MAJOR SOUTH COLUMBIA WATER LINE: Inadequate, city report claims

COLUMBIA, 5/17/10  (Beat Byte) --  A 16-inch pipeline on Scott Blvd. that breaks routinely but serves as the sole source of water to the Thornbrook, Magnolia Falls, Wyndham Ridge, and Mill Creek subdivisions in southwest Columbia is substandard and inadequate after less than 8 years, claims a City of Columbia staff report.

 

"The existing 16 inch water main was installed in August 2002 and has experienced five main breaks since Spring 2005, causing reduced pressure and water outages to these subdivisions," the report claims.   Trying to avoid damage from future roadwork, crews buried the line deeper than normal.  Today, "overburden on the line" from backfilled dirt has forced it into contact with bedrock, causing the breaks.

 

The report recommends either replacing the entire line for about $650,000 or a less costly alternative -- adding a supplemental smaller line and new valves for roughly $35,000 to $110,000.

 

Report on Scott Blvd. Water Main Outage

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