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Utilities staff report major repairs, smart-meter progress and after-hours workload
Summary
Committee heard an operational update covering a 30-hour repair to a 36-inch water main, 56 leaks repaired, 63 polyethylene service lines replaced, 63,000+ feet of sewer cleaning/TV work, a booster station for 57 homes and smart-meter installation progress; staff also noted 88 after-hours callouts during the month.
A city operations presenter reported to the Utilities Committee on May 13 that crews completed a lengthy emergency repair to a 36-inch transmission main, repaired dozens of service leaks, and continued smart-meter installations.
The presenter described the 36-inch main repair near the Daisy Inn, near MLK Boulevard, as a roughly 30-hour job requiring custom shoring and a 4-foot sleeve insertion. "First and foremost things that we gotta do is to be able to work safely in those ditches, getting the shoring in there and all the safety equipment," the presenter said.
Operational highlights provided to the committee included 56 leaks fixed, six fire hydrants repaired, 63 polyethylene service lines replaced (staff said the city saved about $200,000 in April by performing replacements in-house instead of using a contractor), 94,000 feet of sewer cleaned, 27,000 feet of sewer televised, and seven pole repairs on sewer lines. Staff also said they are building a small booster station to serve 57 homes on Van Hoose Hill to prevent dry lines during high-demand periods.
On metering, staff reported that about 50% of smart meters have been installed since the program began; staff said roughly 4,000 meters were installed so far in 2025. The presenter said meter shop procedures include flow testing all meters before deployment and that the installation program is intended to reduce meter-reading callouts and reassign meter-readers to meter maintenance work.
Workload and staffing: staff said there were 88 after-hours calls in the reported month, an average of nearly three callouts per night.
No formal action was taken on the operational report; committee members thanked staff for the photographs and data provided in the packet.
