Fort Smith directors press staff for plan to speed up water-leak repairs; request proposals by April 1

The Fort Smith City Board of Directors on Feb. 11 spent most of its study session on water-system leaks and directed staff to return with a package of proposals and ordinances to accelerate repairs by April 1.

Lance McEvoy, director of Water Utilities, told the board that galvanized mains and service lines account for a large share of repeat service-line failures and that replacing long runs of undersized, tuberculated pipe will require major projects. McEvoy said two ready-to-design-and-build projects to replace roughly 40% of the galvanized service lines would cost an estimated $15 million to $20 million.

"Galvanized pipe is about 25% of where we see our service line leaks," McEvoy said. He described mains taken from the ground this year and the problem of tuberculation and undersized lines reducing flow and pressure.

McEvoy and board members discussed three categories of obstacles to faster repairs: workforce certification, equipment availability,…