Marion to relocate water meter to new building

Marion to relocate water meter to new building

Change in location would ‘ better suit the city,’ says department chief

news@theeveningtimes.com

Marion plans to relocate a water meter to its new chemical treatment building at Brunetti Park.

Bond Engineering told the Water and Sewer Committee that contractors estimate it will cost $20,000 to relocate the meter and to do the additional pipe work.

The city budgeted money for the new building, which will cover Well No. 2, but relocating the water meter was not in the plans.

“(Water Department Manager) Jim Shempert got to looking at the plans and felt it would better suit the city if the meter for that well be located in this new building,” said Mayor Frank Fogleman.

The city is building a new chemical treatment shed at Well No. 2 at Brunetti Field and had talked about moving the existing water meter, which is located on Pine Street, but decided not to include it in the bid for cost purposes.

“The engineers were trying to keep the costs low and it is just something that slipped by,” Shempert said.

But according to Shempert, the meter is leaking and needs to be replaced.

The committee agreed to recommend spending $5,000 for a new meter and the equipment which controls the pump, but believe the city can save money by laying the new pipe required using city workers instead.

The city will need to lay about 60 to 70 feet of new pipeline to tie the meter to the new building, which they estimate can be done for about $10,000 to $12,000.

“I’m getting prices right now,” Shempert said.

“What we will end up doing is laying some pipe up to the building and tie it in.”

Fogleman said they have asked Bond Engineering to get an estimate from B& B Utility Contractors to do some of the inside plumbing.

“Jack (Bond) is going to talk to the contractor and ask what the contractors will charge just to do a minimal amount of rough end plumbing, and we will see what we can do ourselves,” Fogleman said.

“We think that maybe if the contractor will give us an acceptable quote on the plumbing then our guys can unearth the meter and relocate

it.”

By Mark Randall