Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

All Customers Will Have Water By Jan. 1

All water lines for the Gurdon Rural Water Project are in place.

However, the customers will still have to wait a while before water is hooked to their homes.

This is because the lines are being tested to make sure there are no leaks. Where leaks are found, Harold Hurst, manager of the Gurdon Water and Sewer Department, said, they are repaired.

In addition, once the leaks have been fixed, the water must be tested with the results approved by the Arkansas Department of Health. Then, Hurst said, the people can have water.

Currently, he said, the crews are working along Highway 53 north to Moon Valley and will turn and go through the Smithton community on the return trip to Gurdon.

Additionally, nine more water meters had to be set because the crews came up short.

With the parts for the water tank in, it is also being put together. Hurst said the water tank is being built from the top down instead of from the bottom up. It will take about three weeks to get the tank constructed, according to Hurst.

While the construction crews missed the Nov. 10 deadline, Hurst said it wasn't all their fault. The delays, he said, were caused by changes to the system plans and having to get a different tank, along with a bigger pump for the new well by Gurdon High School. He said weather problems also cost the crews some time.

Because of these delays, the contractor will not be penalized for missing the deadline. Hurst said the engineer, Charles Summerford, will have to check and see how many days the contractor has before the penalties begin, though.

Currently, he said, the pump for the new well is being given an epoxy coating to help prevent corrosion. This, too, is taking longer than expected, but is important to the life of the pump.

Hurst said all customers will not be going on-line at the same time. This will allow the contractor to see where any other problems may be and test the lines even further.

Letters have been sent to residents in the Bierne area, letting them know they can go ahead and hook onto the system, though.

Those who signed up for the project will be getting their first water bill in December as well. Hurst said they can expect the bills the day after Christmas.

Because the property owner for the land at the hunting camps in the Bierne region refused to sign an easement to let water go to the camps, Hurst said people in the Greenville community will be given a second chance. So far, 11 residents have applied for city water because of the letters.

The project is coming in under budget, so adding these customers on will not cost any more. But, Hurst said, the lending agencies must approve this being done.

Adding the Greenville customers will not affect the water rates or payment schedule, he said. "There'll just be more customers to help pay off the loans.

"If all goes well," Hurst continued, "it will be completed by Jan. 1, 1998. But, if we go to Greenville, they won't be on line then. That will be at the contractor's discretion and they may wait until spring."

Should approval be made to run water to the Greenville community, Hurst said, there will be three areas where boring will be done under railroad tracks. But, he said, this is not a problem as the contractor utilizes laser boring.