2022 Utility Project Updates

I am pleased to provide the following update for Lawrence residents and businesses concerning our ongoing water main and sanitary sewer improvements projects. 

Miller Pipeline and their subcontractors completed the water main installations on Maple Lane and Zoeller Avenue and are now installing the water main on Wallingwood Drive. Once the water main and associated work on Wallingwood is completed, they will work on completing the storm water work and other restoration work at all three locations. The final piece of the project will be to repave all three of these streets.  

Miller Pipeline is gearing up to perform two other projects in Lawrence; the Fall Creek water main replacement and the 2022 Sanitary Sewer Rehab Project. The water main replacement project will replace an old water main that supplies water to the Fall Creek & 79th Street Kroger Complex and the Sanitary Sewer Rehab project will address old, deteriorated sanitary sewer mains, manholes and laterals in older parts of the city roughly east and west of Franklin Road from Pendleton Pike to 54th Street. 

JG Case Construction continues to work on our Phase II water system improvements project under Contract B, which is the water main replacement project. Presently, they have installed new water main along Franklin Road from 47th to Barksdale Way. They have pulled off the project temporarily in order to clean up Franklin Road in time for the July 4th parade, but will be back out on Franklin Road to finish that part of the project as soon as the 4th Fest is over. The next phase of this work will likely be 46th Street from Franklin to Shadeland with the last phase being Richardt Street from 48th to 54th. 

Our contractor, NECO, has indicated that they plan to start the next phase of our water meter replacement program sometime between July 11 and July 18, 2022. This program is about getting the latest technology in water metering out to our customers to ensure accurate billing in the most efficient manner. The new meter technology also enables customers to sign up for the Badger Eye On Water app, which allows for better water use management with next-day leak alerts and access to usage data/trends via computer or mobile phones.

The Utility is also working on developing new water supply wells in the Fort Harrison well field. This project will add to our existing wells and ensure adequate supplies of raw water to meet present and future demands. We hope to have approval through the IDNR and complete installation of the new wells in 2023.

Design work is also underway for a new water main replacement project in the Brookside Park/North Lawrence Park subdivisions (west of Richardt Street from 54th to 48th streets). We will divide this into at least 2 phases and it will require some coordination with Lawrence DPW, who will be performing stormwater improvements in this area as well. We have not determined actual bid/construction dates at this time. We will provide more details as soon as they are available.  

Please watch this space for more information regarding our water and sanitary sewer improvements project and, as always, please do not hesitate to contact me at ssalsbery@cityoflawrence.org with any questions or concerns regarding your water and sanitary sewer services.

Thank you,

Scott Salsbery, Supt.

Helpful Utilities Information Links

• Water & Sewer Information
• Lawrence Lift Newsletter