Council reviews Lowertown water-project changes; valve replacement, service-line work to proceed, contingency tapped

Harpers Ferry — The council reviewed a series of engineering revisions related to the town’s water improvement project in Lowertown, including work on a pressure-reducing vault on Washington Street, corrections to mapping errors from an aerial survey, and additional service-line and pipe-size work that will draw on contingency funds.

Steve Terry, the town’s public works administrator, told council members engineers initially recommended relocating an underground pressure-reducing vault under Washington Street but, after reexamination, found the vault has no structural-integrity issue. “There is no structural integrity issue with the vault. There’s really no reason to move the vault. What should be done is to replace the valve components inside,” Terry said, explaining that replacing internal parts is less expensive and avoids the disruption of vault relocation.

Terry said the original engineering drawings relied on an aerial flyover rather than a ground walk, and that field verification uncovered mismatches between the drawings and what is actually in the ground. Those discrepancies affect several portions of the project: service lines that run from the main to meter boxes located away from the street, unanticipated short runs of 3–4-inch pipe that the engineers now propose replacing with 6-inch main, and gaps in the mapped 6-inch main in the Pointefield neighborhood.

Council heard that the town is responsible for replacing the service line to the meter box (the “line to the meter box”); those replacements were not included in the original cost estimate and are likely to increase the overall cost. Terry said a “significant amount” of service-line work is required for this project segment, though not all properties in the district are affected.

On the Washington Street corridor, staff recommended installing an isolation valve so the Lower Town area can be shut off independently without affecting service to other parts of the system; engineers also proposed a second cutoff valve closer to Union to further isolate Lower Town. Terry estimated the changes will consume roughly $35,000 to $40,000 of the project contingency.

Terry said the engineering firm (referred to in the packet as GD and F) is preparing change orders that will document the scope and cost adjustments. He advised the council that the contractor and engineer will need signatures on those change orders before proceeding and that staff will coordinate the timing; it is not yet clear whether sign-off must happen immediately or can wait until the May meeting.

The council voted to go into executive session under the exemptions cited by the chair (West Virginia code as read into the record). The meeting record shows the chair authorized Steve Terry to remain in the executive session.

Council members asked about meter locations and ownership. Terry said the town typically installs the service line and owns the meter; after installation, the service line becomes the property owner’s responsibility. He noted there are a few properties in the current project where the meter is inside the building; moving those meters outside would require additional plumbing and is more disruptive and costly, so staff will address them selectively as the project proceeds.

Terry also described coordination with a third party identified as Swan, noting Swan plans to extend an 8-inch line on Columbia Street and that it is prudent for the town to extend its 10-inch main farther to create a ready connection point.

Staff said replacing valve components rather than relocating the vault will reduce construction time and cost. The town will use contingency funds to cover the additional items identified in the revised engineering; staff estimated the net impact will consume but not exceed available contingency.

Next steps: engineers will finalize change orders, staff will coordinate timing with the contractor and return to council with specific cost details and any requests for expedited approval if needed.