Director of Public Works Ryan Gillingham presented an update on the project at the meeting, noting that the project is estimated to be completed in 2028.
The gist
The $14 million project, which began in April 2017, set out to replace 14,400 copper service lines across the city with plastic service lines.
The city has just over 67,000 water service lines, which is a pipe that connects water mains in the street to water meters and the private water service line on a property, according to the presentation.
Over 37,000 of the city’s water service lines are made of copper, while the other lines are made of high-density polyethylene plastic, Gillingham said. Due to inferior copper used when installing service lines between 1997 and 2011, city staff has faced challenges, including leaks from the copper services lines, he said.
The replacement project aims to reduce nonrevenue water, or water lost between when it enters the city and when it is delivered to property owners, according to the presentation.
By the numbers
City staff are averaging about 1,200 service line replacements every year, Gillingham said.The project saw fewer replacements in 2021 and 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he said.The city has also seen reductions in nonrevenue water since the onset of the project, Gillingham said.
Going forward
City staff is using artificial intelligence software to determine which neighborhoods will be targeted next for service line replacement, according to the presentation.
Using data of what leaks have needed repairs by city staff, along with information about when neighborhoods were built, city staff are able to prioritize the service line replacements, Gillingham said.
“It’s really neat to see how our field staff is using technology to improve efficiency and cost for the city,” he said.
The project is expected to be complete in 2028, about a year after the original target date. Just under 6,000 service line replacements remain, according to the presentation.
Gillingham also noted that the department plans to monitor the remaining 23,000 copper service lines across the city and consider ways to continue the replacement program if needed.
Learn more
To learn more about the citywide water service line replacement project, as well as what streets are expected to receive replacements in the coming months, visit www.mckinneytexas.org/1702/water-service-line-replacement-project.
For residents with questions about water service line replacements on their streets, call 972-547-7360 or email [email protected].
