Public Works hosts open house to discuss city water

“One historic feature of the nation’s oldest city is not aging well and needs immediate attention — the pipes that carry the city’s water supply,” Public Works Director Martha Graham told Historic City News this afternoon.

Meeting the demands posed by that piece of aging infrastructure will be the topic of an hour-long open house hosted by the city’s Public Works Department on Thursday, August 5 at 5:30pm in City Hall’s Alcazar Room. The meeting is open to the public.

The meeting was scheduled after an increase of comments over the last few months regarding water quality, specifically the problem of “red water,” from the neighborhoods on the north end of Anastasia Island.

“Red water,” or water stained by iron corrosion occurs when residue from corroding metal pipes stain the water supply and may be caused by a number of reasons. For instance, a fire or a line break may cause a larger than normal amount of water to move rapidly through aging pipes resulting in corrosion being stirred up, or changes in the water chemistry of the source water may react to cast iron or galvanized piping.

For the Davis Shores and Lighthouse Park neighborhoods, both located at the northern end of Anastasia Island, it was determined that the “red water” problem there is a result of the area’s aging water mains and galvanized pipe systems, and specifically the “backbone” of the system which runs the length of Flagler Blvd.

Certainly the challenge of rehabilitating the water system throughout these areas is a lot to tackle, but for several reasons this is truly an opportunity.

First, the project presents an opportunity to make a large impact on many homes and businesses in a relatively short period of time. Secondly, with the assistance of Tim Burchfield, Assistant City Manager, contingency funds will be made available immediately because of the urgent need to start work as quickly as possible. The contingency will be replenished at the beginning of the next fiscal year on October 1

Thursday’s meeting will give residents and businesses the opportunity to see up close plans of the project and talk individually with Public Works department staff

Photo credits: © 2010 Historic City News staff photographer