OMU is preparing to replace the water tower at Hillcrest Golf Course with some preliminary developments.
During a Commission meeting, officials purchased some materials for the construction. The development is being paid for through the $2.5 million ARPA funds the utility received from the City of Owensboro.
The project is budgeted to cost $1.5 million of the $2.5 million.
When the updates are completed, OMU expects increased water pressure in the Hillcrest, Ragu Drive and Highland areas. According to General Manager Tim Lyons, they will accomplish this by building two pumping stations on Ragu Drive and Old Hartford Road.
To get this added pressure, the Commission approved the purchase of 6,000 feet of pipes. 4,000 feet will be placed in the Hillcrest area, and the remaining 2,000 feet will lay near Ragu Drive.
The Hillcrest area piping will stretch between Old Hartford Rd and East Byers Ave. The installation runs alongside the David C. Adkisson Greenbelt, which may cause some closures, though it is unknown how many closures will be needed.
Engineering Manager of Transmission and Delivery Joe Janes said they will try to keep the Greenbelt open as much as possible.
“We will have crews in that area, and we certainly want to maintain a safe work site and keep things safe for the people there, but we don’t want to restrict it if we don’t have to,” Janes said.
According to Janes and Director of Production Russ Evans, OMU plans to finish preliminary work in April and finish the whole project by sometime next fiscal year.
“We’re looking at February or March timeframe next year to install. During that time, we will put the concrete and piping and have everything ready, so when [the final pieces] show up, we’ll set it on the way and get the project moving,” Evans said.
