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Parlier residents, city and Unwired Broadband address utility strikes during fiber‑to‑the‑home work
Summary
Unwired Broadband and city staff discussed two recent water‑main and sewer lateral strikes in Parlier, the limits of existing utility maps in the older parts of town, and steps to reduce future strikes including video camera locates and staged restoration.
Unwired Broadband representatives reported to the Parlier City Council on June 19 that the company's fiber‑to‑the‑home construction encountered utility strikes in older parts of the city and that the contractor has shifted to additional locating technology and process changes to reduce future incidents.
John Majors, vice president of operations for Unwired, said the firm identified shortcomings in ground‑penetrating radar (GPR) accuracy for the downtown, older neighborhoods and engaged Accurate Line Locating to run camera systems inside pipes to map both mains and laterals. "We identified lines that would have resulted in strikes if we had built into those areas," Majors said. He said the company proactively deployed the camera technology and is using hard‑copy surveys and parcel‑level marking before drilling.
City Engineer Javier told the council the problem is compounded by incomplete or hand‑drawn utility records in older neighborhoods, where multiple mains and unpermitted laterals can be buried near one another. "The majority of town is older than 10 years; in places that are 40 to 60 years old, some records are just a line down the middle of the road saying 'there's water in here somewhere,'" Javier said.
Council members and residents described service interruptions from two recent ruptures that temporarily left some homes without kitchen water and backed up sewage. Majors acknowledged the two incidents prompted a temporary suspension of digging and said Unwired has been coordinating on repairs; he said the company has reimbursed some residents' costs when damage occurred and that a field supervisor meets weekly at city hall to help resolve claims.
Majors estimated about three weeks of underground construction remained in newer parts of town and said full restoration of streets would occur after fiber termination and testing; he gave an approximate 60‑day timeline from the restart of construction to full restoration. The company said the camera inspections will create a digital record that could assist future city projects.
Mayor Alma Beltran and council members asked Unwired to meet with the incoming city manager and the city engineer to develop a more robust plan for older neighborhoods, coordinate better resident notifications, and reduce the risk of future strikes. Multiple residents who spoke during public comment asked the company and city to prioritize restoring household water service and to communicate clearly when repairs would be complete.
Why this matters: Utility strikes during underground work have a direct effect on residents' water and sewer service and raise questions about the accuracy of municipal utility records and how private contractors and the city coordinate locates and repairs.
