First of two monthlong water line replacements begin on 19th Street in west Colorado Springs
Scott Harrison
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — Drivers and neighbors are adjusting to detours and daytime construction noise as Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) starts the first of two phases of a water line replacement.
Work began on Wednesday on 19th Street, between King Street and Koshare Avenue, covering two blocks on the city’s west side.
CSU is replacing two water lines that were installed 60 years ago.
“We identified this water line as one that’s reaching the end of its life cycle,” said CSU spokeswoman Cassie Melvin. “We’re coming in before the city comes through because this is part of the city’s 2C paving projects this year. We want to make sure that we go ahead and proactively replace this water line before the city comes in and paves.”
A CSU crew started digging into the street, and Melvin said that the first phase will take a month to finish.
Immediately after completion, CSU will begin the second phase farther south on 19th Street, between Platte and Armstrong avenues.
Both street segments will be closed during construction.
Local neighbor Karl Waunder was out viewing the scene, saying that any inconveniences will be outweighed by the need to replace the aging water lines.
“It’s about time they fixed this water main, because this whole area has flooded,” he recalled. “We had a flood right here with a water main break, and up the street here.”
Melvin said that the project will interrupt water service for an entire day at both locations, and that CSU has notified customers in advance.
However, Waunder said that he didn’t receive the alert.
“I didn’t know anything was happening until I saw the Road Closed signs,” he said.
19th Street is largely residential, and we’re more accustomed to water line replacements happening on busier streets, like a project starting soon on 8th Street, and another winding down on the east end of Galley Road.