— City councilors awarded a $417,000 contract to replace five sections of faltering water lines that have required repeated repairs during the past few years.

The project is part of a long-term maintenance program to address infrastructural needs. Funding for this project will come from money left over from a low-interest loan obtained for the recent renovation and expansion of the city’s water treatment plant.

Public Works Director Mike Stewart said a pre-work conference with Fort Gibson-based Cook Construction and Crane Inc. should take place within the next couple of weeks. He expects work will begin within the next 30 to 60 days.

Stewart said the sections of water lines scheduled to be replaced during this project were selected from a group identified by the frequency of repeated repairs during the past few years.

“These are lines where there were repeated leaks that were causing us a lot of hardships with regard to labor and material costs, and on the residents who live in those areas,” Stewart said. “It also created a need for a lot of street repairs.”

The projects included in this round of water line replacement will occur at the following locations:

• A two-block stretch of 6-inch pipe along Virginia Street between Sallie Street and Monta Avenue.

• A four-block section of 6-inch pipe along Denison Street between 44th and 48th streets.

• A one-mile stretch of 8-inch pipe along South Cherokee Drive between Peak Boulevard and Smith Ferry Road.

• A section of 8-inch pipe crossing Oklahoma 165 at Indian Capital Technology Center.

• A two-block section of 6-inch pipe along South 30th Street between Arline Avenue and Denver Street.

Mayor Bob Coburn lauded the program, saying it should reduce maintenance costs in the long term and improve service. Stewart said he plans to identify similar projects to pursue in the near future.

“We are going to try and continue to bring projects like this to the city council,” Stewart said. “Of course, funding is always going to be an issue, so that is something we will have to work with.”

Reach D.E. Smoot at (918) 684-2901 or dsmoot

@muskogeephoenix.com.