Pine Island Water Company continues to improve service
By MARIANNE PATON, pineisland@breezenewspapers.com
In recent months, the Greater Pine Island Water Company has forged ahead with plans to upgrade service throughout the district. With the completion of laying new, larger water lines in St. James City and providing for the addition of several new fire hydrants, the water company has already begun work on a new project.
Those passing along Stringfellow Road south of the center may have noticed work crews digging trenches and laying new lines. According to water company manager Bill Thacher, these new lines will carry water from a new well back to the treatment plant. Thacher said that this upgrade in the system will be sufficient to serve the district for at least the next 10 years.
Funding for the project came to the water company in the form of a grant.
“This is actually the second phase in the addition of production wells and will serve to complete the current plant capacity,” said Thacher. “In addition to the lines, we have also dug a 750-foot well and with the slow in population increase on the island, it will provide enough resources for at least 10 years as opposed to our original estimate of just five years.”
The cost of the project was $900,000 and Thacher believes that this was money well spent.
“We have been able to make a lot of lemonade with the funding that was made available to us through the grant as well as money we received from FEMA following Hurricane Charley,” said Thacher. “Most of the upgrades we had planned have now been completed, however some projects have been put on hold because of the economy.”
The water company has identified 15 other neighborhoods on the island for upgrading water lines, however the estimated cost of those projects will be $15 million which, for now, has been put on hold until more funding becomes available.
Future plans include similar line upgrades that were undertaken on five streets in St. James City and with the addition of new hydrants on those streets, Thacher also reminds residents of those streets to check with their insurance companies about lower rates for fire insurance.
The major project the water company will tackle next year is upgrading lines in St. Jude Harbor.
“This project is a must and we will be laying new lines along Latonda and Stabile roads to update the service in that area of the island,” said Thacher. “Even with the economy as tight as it is, we are pleased that we have been able to accomplish so much.”