El Paso Water plans new water lines to tackle water main breaks in East Montana
EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — Residents in Far East El Paso have been grappling with repeated water main breaks, leaving many frustrated with the ongoing disruptions.
The most recent break occurred on Tuesday at Montana Ave. and Desert Meadows. Less than a mile away, water main breaks happened back in May and August on Montana and Krag.
El Paso Water’s Chief Engineering Officer, Felipe Lopez, announced plans for two new water lines in the East Montana area to alleviate pressure on the existing main line, installed in 1997.
“In this case, it would be a water line that kind of sort of parallels this Montana line through another avenue,” Lopez said.
One line will be constructed along David Street, while the second will pass through Desert Meadows.
Melissa Herrera reports on how El Paso Water plans to tackle main breaks in East Montana.
El Paso Water shows map of future main lines in the East Montana area to help address multiple main breaks in the area on Friday, December 5, 2024.{ }
Although not a permanent fix, these lines aim to support the water line on Montana Avenue and allow water to flow around future breaks, reducing the impact on customers.
“The demand is spread throughout two or three pipelines instead of just one pipeline,” Lopez explained.
Residents have questioned why the line isn’t being replaced entirely, but Lopez noted they are first investigating the root cause of the breaks.
“We don’t know exactly why it’s breaking, but we’re trying to do some type of analysis and do it. It could be construction methods. It could be the pipe itself, it could be air or vacuum, or the lack of air,” Lopez said.
Both projects are set to go out for bid in January, with construction expected to begin by mid to late 2026, and completion anticipated by mid to late 2027.
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