by Geoff Fox
Hancock town officials approved an emergency $110,000 water line repair job to a line along Main Street just below the high school – a project that has been years in the waiting.
The project was given a green light but had recently been put off while town officials waited for school to be over so the project wouldn’t disrupt classes at the high school.
At a special town meeting on Monday evening, June 29, that lasted about 15 minutes, officials unanimously approved the bid from Guyer Brothers Utility Contractors of New Enterprise, Pa.
The town had been potentially facing daily fines from the state due to drawing too much water from the well per the permit the town has from the state.
Councilman David Kerns said the permit dictates the average daily limit on how much water the town can draw from the well.
“We are exceeding that,” he said. “They could very easily fine us if they wanted to.”
Because of that need to get the line repaired, council made the emergency vote for the repair, at a cost of $110,4525.
Normally, the town has to put projects out to bid over $15,000, but when it’s an emergency, town officials can bypass that step.
The work was to begin yesterday, Tuesday, June 30.
Guyer will bore under Main Street to replace and repair the pipe so the road itself won’t be disturbed or have to be repaired.
The only thing the town would be responsible for would be the repair of the shoulder of the road.
The new water line will be connected today, Wednesday, July 1.
The new line will be a 12-inch pipe with a 24-inch sleeve put in the bored hole.
Kerns said they’re doing this so if something in the future happens on the line, they wouldn’t have to go through the same process.
He said there is a leak on the high school line and when it’s repaired, it will hook into the new line.
All future tie-ins to the new line will also be ready when needed, Kerns added.
Town Manager Mike Faith said the town has the money to cover the costs of the project through unused ARPA monies and through the Trulieve account.
The town said water service would be anticipated today with a boil advisory possibly issued, which could be lifted Friday.
This comes on the heels of a water leak on High Street and Methodist Avenue last weekend that resulted in a boil advisory that lasted until Tuesday morning.
Council approval was a unanimous 3-0 with Councilman Richard Strong not in attendance as he was out of town at the time of the meeting.
