Having replaced more than 1,300 feet of water line and nearly 2,000 feet of sewer pipe so far this year in residential areas alone, it’s been a busy time for Greenville’s water utilities department.
Many of the water distribution projects this year have involved not only replacing existing pipe but adding loops for better circulation/reduce water discoloration or to allow future repairs to be made without completely shutting off a neighborhood’s water, Greenville utility superintendent Jon Herbert explained at a city council work session last week.
Specific projects of this kind that have so far been completed this year include ones on Bourland Street, Upthegrove Street, Turtle Creek Drive and Division Street.
In addition to those water line replacements in residential areas, the now-completed water main replacement through downtown Greenville on Washington Street was a highly visible project, as it was in a high-traffic area.
The replacement became necessary after a major break last July, for which 80-years-worth of iron buildup inside the pipe was a contributing factor.
“It’s a 20-inch line, but you were pretty much only getting about 12-inches in flow because of the buildup,” Herbert said.
Meanwhile, on the sewer side of things, the department has also replaced about 4,550 feet of sewer main feeding lift stations near Walmart Supercenter and Graham Park.
Ongoing water distribution and wastewater collection projects that are scheduled to be completed by the end of this year include replacing 600 feet of sewer pipe on Walnut Street and the citywide switching out of its water meters from the older positive displacement units to those compatible with the new, more advanced system.
The new metering infrastructure – described as including not just the meters themselves but also software, nine towers with cellular gateways, collection equipment and maintenance services – is expected to be fully installed and ready to “go live” within three to five months.
When the system goes live, the high-tech meters will be logging data into the system about every 7.5 second, Shellie Rabroker with Core & Main (the Texas distributor of the specific system) told the city council in April. The system would also allow for the city to keep up to 96 days of usage data for each customer, which could be referred to when billing disputes arise.
“It puts the burden of proof back into the customer’s court,” Rabroker said.
She also explained that customers would have a portal into the system that they could log into, not only to monitor their water usage but to also troubleshoot for leaks and set usage parameters to help stay within budget.
For the 2025-2026 budget year, projects in the department’s sites include replacing 6.5 miles of water main valves, side feel connections and air release valves under East Loop (from the intersection of Stuart Street and Anderson Street to the Service First Credit Union near L3Harris) – a large project that is planned in seven phases and will total a projected $10.35 million.
The East Loop transmission main project may be included in the “Phase 2” water infrastructure bond in 2026, City Manager Summer Spurlock said.