“Water distribution: we look at the age. If the pipe’s a hundred years old, unfortunately we have to replace it. It’s just beyond its useful life. Nothing lasts forever.”
That’s Leah Bectel of the Abonmarche civil engineering company. She presented a 20-year asset management plan for Grand Haven’s water, storm, sanitary and road systems during this week’s city council work session. A major focus is the replacement of all lead water service lines by 2037.
“A lot of your water main unfortunately dates to the 1920’s, and then we also have 127 documented water main breaks since 1984.”
More than 600 of the city’s 4,700 service lines are lead, with another 1,200 of unknown material.
“For discussion purposes, $10 million is needed in the next 11 years to replace all the lead. This is just the water service line. It doesn’t include the main pipes.”
Other projects include the estimated $9 million reconstruction of Grant Street, maintaining water storage tanks, and improvements to Ferry, Columbus and Seventh Streets.
Mayor Bob Monetza says the city has spent the last 20 years trying to keep up with repairs.
“We’ve been doing those projects all along. There’s still $40 to $50 million worth of work because every time you pick something off the list, there’s something else on the other end of the list. It just keeps coming.”
The city is looking into using grants, millages and other funds to pay for the repairs.
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