Area residents on Big Spring's west side may find themselves without water for at least a portion of Friday, as city crews prepare to replace valves to make way for the new county jail under construction.
According to Jim Piper, spokesman for the city's Water Distribution and Collection Department, crews will be replacing valves on Utah and Elm Drive beginning at 9 a.m. Friday, and won't be going home until the work is done and water service restored.
“There will be four work sites,” said Piper. “They will be working near the intersections of Highway 80 and Utah, Utah and Airport Road, and two of the valves are located near Elm and Highway 80. The areas that will be effected include Harding to Elm and Highway 80 to Boeing, Andree to Ann and W. Seventh Street to W. Ninth Street, Old Highway 80, Peach and Grant. Customers in these areas may experience low or no water pressure while the valves are being replaced.”
Piper said Big Spring Independent School District's Alternative Education campus, formerly Anderson Kindergarten, will not be effected, nor will the McMahon Wrinkle Airpark.
“We're changing out these valves to basically bring this part of the city on the same system as the airpark,” said Piper. “This is necessary to facilitate the new jail that's being built. On the old system the static pressure is good, the jail's sprinkler system wouldn't have the required pressure if a fire hydrant were open. However, by changing it over from the west end system to the airpark system the pressure improves dramatically.”
In November, Howard County voters approved the construction of a $11.57 million jail facility near Utah on Highway 80. Construction on the jail, which will accommodate 112 inmates, according to county officials, is expected to begin this month, with work on the building's foundation already ongoing.
Piper said he expects to have the valves replaced by the end of the day Friday, barring any unforeseen problems.
“As long as we don't run into any complications, I feel confident we'll have it completed the same day,” said Piper. “And if there are complications, we'll work until the service is restored, just like we always do in this type of situation. The customers won't be without water any longer than necessary to complete the job.”
Contact Staff Writer Thomas Jenkins at 263-7331 ext. 232 or by e-mail at
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