by Geoff Fox
Town Manager Mike Faith told town officials Public Works recently repaired a leak on Blue Hill and will have to replace the hydrant in that area as well as the intersection of High Street and Virginia Avenue.
Faith said they had to dig three holes before Public Works found the leak, which was the valve going to the hydrant.
Faith said the hydrants are in stock to do the replacements and “is on the list of things that need to get done.”
Public Works will also begin to replace the waterline in Widmeyer Park that will feed the new splash pad and the sewer line might also need to be replaced as well.
Faith said the bathhouse having been done for so long caused crews to flush the line multiple times to open it up again.
When it comes to water usage, Faith said the town averaged 208,000 gallons of water a day last month, which he attributed to a leak that was fixed.
He also pointed at the drought conditions as to why the town didn’t flush the lines as they normally do.
Faith also told town officials the town had been mandated to do a copper and lead survey by the state this past October.
RK&K, the contractor who the town is working with for the new wastewater line and system, is working on the survey, Faith said.
A small building at the Blue Hill water tank has seen some better days and Faith said it’s falling apart.
The building contains a valve and panel for the tank and, in the winter, needs to be heated so the equipment doesn’t freeze.
Faith said he’s going to get a quote for replacing the building because “it’ s basically a fallen down shack.”
With the excessive heat recently, there have been issues at the pump house, Faith said.
Due to the heat and condensation building up, breakers in the building were beginning to trip.
In the past, Faith said the panel boxes open and have fans running, but he didn’t think anyone would be comfortable leaving them open, so a mini split will be installed to help with the heat and cooling going on.
Faith also said the lagoon will be shut down for the entire month of July because of the lack of rain.
A procedure to determine how much sludge had been collected over the years was to be done, but Faith didn’ t know if it had been done.
He did say a drainage ditch above the lagoon had been cleared out, taking crews about a week to clean it. The drain keeps storm water from running into the lagoon, he added.
Faith said he had a quote from Culligan Water for water softener at the splash pad. Culligan came recommended by two plumbers he had spoken to.
Culligan, he said, would do the work start to finish with a cost of $3,000.
Because of the dollar value, Faith said there’s no need for a vote if town officials were okay with using Culligan for the water softener.
He also got two quotes about putting a strip of fence along the pickleball court atop the hill by the Lions Pavilion.
One quote was for black rubber coated chain link fence at four feet high for $3,600 and five feet high would be $3,900. Long Fence came in and gave a quote at $1,800.
Faith said chain link would be the most practicable because wrought iron would be too expensive while aluminum and vinyl fences wouldn’t last or be durable.
He said officials wouldn’t have to make that decision right then or if council was okay with it, the mayor could authorize the purchase.
Faith said the National Park Service was repairing and replacing pump in the C&O Canal. It’s taken some time because the pump is old and it’ s been difficult to get parts.
It might take some time to refill the water in the canal because the Potomac River, which is where the water for the canal comes from, is low as well.