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Wichita Falls approves $1.299 million contract to replace aging Country Club water line
Summary
The City Council awarded a unit-price contract for a trenchless waterline replacement in the Country Club area after a presentation from city staff describing pipe corrosion, service risks and a neighborhood meeting schedule.
Wichita Falls City Council on Oct. 7 approved a $1,299,813 unit-price contract to replace an aging water main in the Country Club neighborhood.
The project will use a trenchless "pipe bursting" method to remove and replace the existing cast-iron main in a rear-lot easement with fusible PVC, city staff said. Council voted to award the contract and directed staff to proceed with neighborhood outreach before construction begins.
City engineering staff said the targeted mains were installed between the 1920s and 1950s, are experiencing tuberculation (mineral deposits and internal corrosion) and have produced leaks and reduced capacity. "We're going to replace it with a fusible PVC," the presenter said, adding that the new pipe is expected to last "50 to 75 years." The contract award authorizes work that staff said would start in November if the paperwork is completed and would aim to finish by May.
Why it matters: staff described recurring leaks, water-quality issues and reduced fire-flow capacity on the existing line. The project is designed to limit damage to mature trees and residents' yards by using a trenchless method that accesses the pipe at two ends and pulls in the new line through the old alignment.
Work plan and neighborhood impacts: staff said the method involves excavating only at access pits on each end of a run, advancing a cutting head and pulling the new PVC into place as the old pipe is fractured. For some customers, contractors will need temporary above-ground service lines made of HDPE; staff said temporary services will be tied into the system in the right-of-way and crews will coordinate reconnects requiring access to easements in back yards. Staff estimated the pull length can be "anywhere from 300 to 500 feet," and emphasized coordination and notification to residents. A neighborhood meeting is scheduled Oct. 28 at Roselawn Park at 5:30 p.m., and letters will be sent to affected residents this week.
Public comments at the meeting ranged from caution about yard disruptions to support for the replacement: one resident thanked the city for the "forward-thinking" approach and said it would be preferable to multiple backyard excavations. Councilmembers and staff discussed prior experiences with underground utility contractors and stressed the need for contractor oversight and clear resident notification.
Formal action: the council approved awarding the unit-price contract as presented. The motion was made, seconded and passed by voice vote.
What remains: staff said they will hold neighborhood outreach meetings and coordinate temporary services and reconnections with homeowners. The contract award and the project schedule are contingent on final contract paperwork and the contractor's mobilization.
Ending: City staff and council members said the trenchless method is a test that — if successful — could be used on similar replacement projects elsewhere in Wichita Falls. The city plans further resident outreach before construction begins.
