ECUA installs new 12-inch water main under Palafox as crews finish five-week upgrade

PENSACOLA, Fla. — As crews continue work on the new Palafox project and with the street torn up, Emerald Coast Utilities Authority is taking an opportunity that was not in the original plans.

“The original project scope was to relocate about 800 lineal feet of water line because it conflicted with the new stormwater system that the city was putting in,” ECUA Executive Director Bruce Woody said. “We approached the city and asked if we could do a much more detailed investment.”

The upgrade includes a larger water pipe increasing from 10 inches to 12 inches.

“Replacing the line in general, even if it was size for size, would increase volume and flow,” Woody said. “We upsize it to 12 to allow for future flow through the air, even better fire protection, and also help for development that’s occurring east and west of Palafox.”

An improvement, Palafox businesses were happy to hear.

Brent Davidson, owner of pensacola hairshop

“I think any upgrades with the water system are just going to be a positive for it,” Pensacola Hair Shop owner Brent Davidson said. “We constantly use water all day long, so anything to help.”

The scope of the project also grew — expanding the main from 800 linear feet to nearly 2,000 linear feet.

ECUA leaders say it’s about making sure the infrastructure matches the improvements happening above ground.

“With the city investing $10 million on this line, we wanted to make sure that the beautification they were doing had its maximum effect,” Woody said. “We didn’t want to have three years from now a water line break someplace, causing us to have to excavate something.”

The project cost a little over 800,000 dollars coming from the authority’s line replacement fund.

ECUA crews are wrapping up the project in just five weeks to be sure not to slow down the main Palafox construction.

ECUA officials say cleanup and inspections are complete, and the new water lines are officially in place as of Tuesday.