Water, road work tear up Palmer

PALMER -- The next time Palmer residents find they have no running water or an out-of-town visitor gets turned around by detour signs, city officials want everyone to remember there's a light at the end of the tunnel.

With the assistance of millions of dollars in Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation grants and matching federal funds, the City of Palmer is digging up North Valley and East Fireweed Avenue to upgrade a 50-year-old water system. By the end of the summer, the streets will be outfitted with wider, more modern water pipes and, in the case of North Valley Way, an upgraded and paved roadway.

For now, though, local homeowners and out-of-town visitors are encountering sporadic droughts at the tap and traffic detours around town. A section of the Old Glenn Highway was closed part of last week as contractor Pruhs Corporation worked to tie North Valley Way's pipes into the main water line. At the same time, residents near East Fireweed went without water for an hour or so one evening as the contractors dealt with the older, sub-par piping.

"I hear about it at the grocery store," said Palmer's public works superintendent, Rick Koch. "But people in Palmer are very good about it." Koch said most people seem to understand the work is necessary, and with it comes a little hassle.

And residents should expect a little hassle for the rest of the summer. Koch said he's hoping to have most of the work wrapped up in time for the Alaska State Fair at the end of August, a time when Palmer's streets become congested with extra traffic. Some of the work will continue into September, however.

And more work will begin later this summer. A similar water project on West Evergreen Avenue is going out to bid later this month and construction will begin later this summer.

In the meantime, the contractor will try to minimize the impact on local homeowners. Last's week momentary lack of water should be a rarity, Koch said. In some cases the new water pipe is being installed far enough away from the old line that there should be no interruption in water flow until it's switched over. Even in cases where the old and new line are close together, however, he said the contractor can create a backup water supply using nearby fire hydrants.

Throughout the process, however, property owners might notice a sporadic discoloration to the water as it is turned off and on.

Koch admitted the city is being particular aggressive with its work this summer, largely because of the 70-percent grant money the state was able to offer for the projects. Because the city's population recently topped 5,000, future projects will only receive 50-percent state funding.

Palmer officials had hoped to get another several million in federal and state funds to upgrade water pipes on other major streets such as Alaska and Arctic, but the majority of the money was cut during the budget process.

"You think this summer it's torn up. You should have seen what next

summer would have looked like,"

Koch said.

The projects slated for next summer would have meant all of Palmer's main water distribution lines would have been upgraded. For now, though, Koch said about half of the 30,000 feet will have been replaced.

The 50-year-old steel piping is generally narrower and more prone to breaks than its replacement -- a corrosion-resistant, thick iron piping. In most cases, the 6-inch older line is being changed over to 10-inch pipe, which will allow for better flow.

While most people might not notice a difference at the tap when it's all said and done, Koch said the improvements will matter. He said recent cases of pipes breaking and of a home basement being flooded in January will not be as likely with the new water pipes. At the same time, fire hydrants that currently have a low flow will be able to pump more water through because of the new pipes.

And on North Valley Way, residents will also end up with a paved street with sidewalks and other improvements, largely paid for by the state grants.