With yet another burst to the downtown water main April 3, city
residents watched thousands of dollars wash down the drain, once
again.
With yet another burst to the downtown water main April 3, city residents watched thousands of dollars wash down the drain, once again.
It is becoming far too noticeable of a problem to shelve any longer, with the sixth break in the past two years prompting city leaders to finally take notice of the matter’s urgency and the benefit of investing in a full repair now as opposed to continually delaying it.
City Manager Clint Quilter at last week’s council meeting said officials should take a “harder look” at an overhaul, and its associated costs, in the coming months, especially in light of the anticipated transfer of San Benito Street from Caltrans to the city. To that point, city leaders largely had brushed off the idea of overhauling the system due to the project’s costs and complexities.
That downtown main system runs from Nash Road on San Benito Street all the way to Fourth Street, and then several blocks over from there as well. Undoubtedly, it would create some temporary inconveniences to replace the entire system. It would be quite costly as well, with officials estimating at one point it could total around $3 million.
But it is worth the financial investment and logistical sacrifice now. Taxpayers will have to pay the bill eventually, and it is better to finance a plan immediately – using bond-measure funds – than wait while costs likely continue to rise and the number of main breaks add up. With every new break, there is a cost the city could have prevented by getting the overhaul done earlier. Remember, the city this year is allocating $5 million from a recent bond issuance to pay for a new downtown fire station, and another $3 million for landscape improvements on the west side.
City leaders also have pointed to the down economy as a reason to delay the project, surmising that the construction would further hamper merchants who cannot afford any more hits to their cash registers. That assumption is flawed as well, because the down economy, when foot traffic is slow, is precisely the right time to get the main replaced.
Mapping out an overhaul project would allow businesses and residents time to inform customers so they can make the appropriate adjustments on the road. With the piecemeal bursts, the streets are suddenly closed and it creates confusion for patrons, who may be more prone toward getting fed up enough to find another place to shop.
It appears city leaders have finally said enough is enough when it comes to the downtown main breaks. We encourage them to follow through on the city manager’s stated intention, to take a harder look at an overhaul, and get this massive headache remedied for good.
