The Elizabethton Water Resources Department has been hard at work since starting off the new year.
Johann Coetzee, Water Resources general manager, spoke with the Elizabethton Star Friday and discussed a variety of projects currently underway by the Department.
Throughout a busy winter season, the department was able to address a variety of water line replacement to assist with water loss reduction – a program heavily promoted by the system.
Currently, Coetzee added the department work underway now in East Side to be finished within the next couple of weeks while Cripple Creek Road was able to wrap up work recently.
Having the ability to hit different neighborhoods that have water problems allows the department to save costs while hitting profoundly affected areas.
“This was Jim Roberts’ design and his idea,” Coetzee said. “Mobilizing in a neighborhood and we’re able to save costs. Under his management, we have crews allocated to different areas.”
The goal of the department, which merged from separate water and sewage departments, is to work at a fast pace to address problems that were in place from years, but not going at so quick of a rate to put a burden on the community, the GM added.
Roberts, Water Resources general manager, credited the work of workers for the time to clean and repair the main sewer line near Snap-On Tools down to Doe River as part of the inflow and infiltration program the department has going on for community sewage issues.
The department has been able to take full advantage of a new washing truck that was OK’ed by City Council to allow more in-depth cleaning to aid repair of sewage lines within the service area. Workers were busy using the vehicle Friday, addressing an issue in the morning hours Friday.
“We appreciate the support from City Council and the community to allow us to tackle these issues,” Coetzee added.