Crane along Riverwalk
Tennessee American Water has begun staging the equipment needed for the installation of a third additional pipe in the Tennessee River. While these deliveries are being made, a small portion of the Riverpark behind the Tennessee American Water plant will temporarily close, for 30 to 70 minutes at a time. Flaggers and signage on either end of the closure will make users aware of this temporary disruption.
“We apologize for the inconvenience this causes for users of the Riverpark while equipment is installed,” said Tennessee American Water engineering manager Kurt Stafford. “First and foremost is safety of the public and the workers at the site. We work quickly to finish the task so that the Riverpark opens back up.”
Delieveries are expected to be frequent on Thursday and Friday. Users of the Riverpark may want to avoid the area behind Tennessee American Water to avoid interrupting their activities.
Users of the Riverwalk will see a large crane on the boat ramp behind Tennessee American Water. The crane lays down steel plates across the Tennessee Riverwalk so that large delivery trucks can safely deliver the equipment to the boat ramp.
After the initial start-up this week, temporary closures on the Riverpark will be intermittent.
This new pipe is one of three - and the largest - that delivers water to the 20,000 customers on the north side of Chattanooga, Red Bank and Signal Mountain. The pipe adds redundancy and resiliency to the water delivery system to assure reliable water services.
The contractor company, Reynolds Construction, will stage a barge on the Tennessee River to excavate the river bottom in order to lay the pipe and bury it. Divers will install the pipes and lock the sections together. The barge will be visible to users of the Tennessee Riverpark and the waterway behind the Tennessee American Water plant on Riverside Drive. The project is expected to last through November.
"When it comes to infrastructure, most people instantly think of roads and bridges," said Val Armstrong, president of Tennessee American Water. "Those of us in the water business think about our pipes and other assets. Water is almost always the least expensive of utility bills, but replacing underground pipes is expensive. Water providers help make customers aware of the true value of a clean drinking water system.
“At Tennessee American Water we are committed to making continuous infrastructure investments of about $20 million annually while balancing this with the price paid by our customers,” Ms. Armstrong said.
Plates used on Riverwalk