SPRINGDALE -- City officials and leaders of Springdale Water Utilities work together to provide service to residents.
The city continues to build roads with $93 million in bond money for streets voters approved in 2018. And while the road lies open, the municipal utility takes the opportunity to upgrade its infrastructure, too.
"We're not having to dig your yard up twice," said Heath Ward, executive director of the utility.
The cooperation brings savings. The cost of building roads and pipelines varies depending on type of soil, other infrastructure in place and more, Ward said.
"Whatever you spend doing once, you will spend twice as much doing it a second time," Ward said.
The Water and Sewer Commission oversees the work of the water service and operates as a separate entity of Springdale government. The City Council approves appointments to the commission, which are recommended by the mayor.
The Water and Sewer Commission on June 26 approved a contract with Engineering Services to build a 12-inch sewer line on South 56th Street. The City Council on June 11 approved a change order for construction because the street was moved after the 2015 contract. This phase of construction will run south from Gene George Boulevard to Johnson.
Construction begins in October, said Wyman Morgan, director of finance and administration. The city will be reimbursed for 20 percent of the estimated $10.5 million price from the Arkansas Department of Transportation.
Rick Pulvirenti, chief operating officer of Springdale Water Utilities, said he regularly meets with Brad Baldwin, the city's director of engineering and public works. "We are aware of all bond projects the city plans to do," Pulvirenti said. "We take the opportunity to look at our master plan and create for the future."
During this collaboration, the city or utility might take on a project six months before they planned, said Jeff Hawkins, executive director of Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission. "We're all in it together."
For example, the city and Ozarks Electric Cooperative coordinated moving an electrical line in the city. "It had to be done in a certain time of year to avoid their peak season," Baldwin said.
"Development impacts priorities, and the City Council's priorities may change," Baldwin said. For example, Lowell recently improved part of Dixieland Street near the corporate headquarters of J.B. Hunt Transport Services, and that may prioritize the city's plans to connect with the road.
The Water and Sewer Commission last week also approved initial engineering for adding a sewer line along Dixieland Road.
Ward and Baldwin agreed utility lines are best on the side of the road than in the middle of the street. Then, any maintenance won't require disruption to traffic on the street.
Ward said roads often follow the path already blazed by the water department. "We try to follow the easiest pass for the water line." He also said the utility tries to lay lines between properties rather than across the middle.
Baldwin said, when the city acquires land for a road, it also acquires utility easements with enough room to build utility infrastructure.
Water utility projects are included in the design for a new road, and the city's contractor also oversees construction of the water and sewer lines, Baldwin said.
The water utility reimburses the city for the cost of design and construction of its features.
If the city is working on an older street, the utility may want to increase the size of a line from 8 inches to 12 inches, Baldwin said. The city would pay the cost of physically installing the line, while the utility would pay for the cost of the new pipe.
Ward said any time the department's equipment gets moved, the department updates the line even if it won't increase in size. Recent projects have upgraded a line in the city more than 50 years old and added redundancy to ensure service to customers if part of the system should fail.
The city's project on South 56th Street will transform 1.4 miles of a country road into a four-lane boulevard with a median. The preliminary estimate for cost is $10.5 million, Baldwin said.
At the same time, the department plans to install a half mile of 12-inch sewer line from 56th Street to Sizemore Lane. The estimated cost is $750,000 of Baldwin's $10.5 million estimate, Pulvirenti said.
The new line will serve a few houses on the land, but it'll sit ready for use if the area develops as expected, Pulvirenti said. City officials regularly express excitement about development in the district. Arvest Ballpark, Arkansas Children's Northwest, Highlands Oncology Group and Northwest Arkansas Community College all have found homes there.
Kelly Hayes of Springdale said she thinks the cooperation between agencies is intuitive. "It's probably the best and an efficient use of people's time and money."
Hayes also said she's excited about the road expansions. She and her family live in the eastern part of Har-Ber Meadows subdivision in Springdale. She said the extension of George Boulevard north will mean they no longer have to "zig-zag" through the neighborhood to get to a major road.
She said she probably will use the new roads more than she thinks.
"I don't go to Fayetteville much, but I do go to Mom and Dad's in Johnson and the ballpark," Hayes said. She often takes George Boulevard south to avoid traffic on Interstate 49.
NW News on 07/09/2019