Utility Superintendent Donnie Davidson update Board of Works on projects

Friday, September 27, 2024 at 2:00 AM

By Kathy Bottorff

According to the Plymouth Utility Superintendent, the detention basin at the corner of Plum and Garro Streets is basically completed and working property at the corner.

On Monday night, Donnie Davidson said the excavating is complete, the outlet pipe was installed, the erosion control netting has been put in place, and the lot has been seeded. The Street Department is installing curbs and sidewalks around the entire project and Davidson will be working with an arborist to select trees that will be placed with this project.

Davidson said the project was tested out last Saturday with the rain the city received. He told the Board of Public Works and Safety that it worked as expected. This project was designed to control stormwater that has flooded the Neighborhood Center a county of times in the past few years.

The second project update was for the west water tower refurbishing project. O&J Coating works seven days a week, from sunup to sundown on the project. Davidson said the inside of the tower has been sandblasted, structural modifications are complete, the OSHA requirements for handrails and ladders are in place, the pinholes in the bottom of the bowl have been repaired and it has all been primed.

Davidson said the exterior must be primed as soon as the sandblasting is complete because the metal rusts quickly. He said as long as the weather cooperates, they hope to have the rest of the tower sandblasted and primed. In a week or two they expect to have the topcoats of paint on and the lettering.

The final update was on the water main improvements. TGB, the contractor, is installing the new lines. The project on Douglas Street is essentially complete. Davidson said the water main has been filled with chlorine to clean the line. He said they may be able to test the pipe at the end of the week. After testing the city will make the taps, connect the homes, and abandon the old line.

The East Jefferson Street project involves horizontal drilling, and 500 feet have been installed with plans for another 500 feet to be completed this week.

Davidson said the water main project by Bowen Printing is complete except for the installation of asphalt.