JAMESTOWN – The springtime flushing of the water mains is now underway in Jamestown and surrounding area, with a major change compared to previous years. Instead of doing the flushing overnight, the Jamestown Board of Public Utilities is doing the operation during daytime hours.
BPU General Manager David Leathers recently discussed the change with the Jamestown City Council, and said there were a few reasons why it’s now taking place during regular business hours, between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
“The main reasons to go in this direction have to do with safety, as well as productivity and efficiency, and – we hope – a lot faster and cleaner flush, where we have visibility as we go through the neighborhoods,” Leathers said during the city council’s April 17 meeting.
The BPU also anticipates that there will be a cost savings associated with the change, but Leathers tells WRFA that it may be difficult to quantify any immediate savings.
“We’ve had extra head count overnight. We feel it takes longer overnight. We’ve had supervisors and staff that are available to help during the days, so we’ve looked at cost and we will, on the back end, to a study subsequent to the flush to see how it worked out,” Leather said. “We expect savings in some areas, but we hit advertising a little harder so it will balance out, and then we can have a better idea going forward what it looks like.”
Spring flushing will continue Wednesday in Jamestown and will continue throughout the service area until May 10, weather permitting. For a schedule of where and when flushing will be happening, go online to www.JamestownBPU.com.
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