City schedules three-week waterline replacement at Eighth and Dixie beginning Sept. 2

The City of Odessa’s utilities department said it will replace an aging water main at the intersection of Eighth and Dixie Boulevard next week, with work to begin Sept. 2 and take about three weeks. Alex, a utilities department representative, told the council the project will replace approximately 426 feet of 12-inch PVC pipe to remove asbestos-cement pipe. The work will run through the city’s utility job-order contract with contractor Edgardo Madrid; the contractor is responsible for traffic control. Public works crews will reconstruct the intersection after the water-line work is complete. Utilities staff said they are coordinating with Atmos Energy to avoid conflicts with gas work. The city will leave abandoned water mains in place unless damaged, and contractors will remove pipe only when necessary. Council members asked about safety precautions when removing asbestos-cement pipe; staff said abandoned lines left in the ground present no risk and that contractors follow standard removal procedures when removal is required. No formal council vote was required; staff said the work is scheduled to proceed under existing contracts and budgets.