Leaky, squeaky and weepy pipes in Ketchum's core are reflective of an aging water system that by most accounts is long since past its prime.
On Tuesday, Feb. 7, voters will decide whether to approve a $2.8 million bond issue for improvements to the original system that served customers in the city's center.
"We fix numerous leaks on that system," said Steve Hansen, utilities manager with the city of Ketchum. "It has lived well beyond its expected life span."
Nearly 20 miles of old pipes that were part of a private water system the city bought 19 years ago need frequent attention.
"They are shallow and old," Hansen said. The pipes were built to last 25 to 30 years but have been in use more than 40 years. They serve nearly 300 water customers.
The bond, paid for from increased fees for water customers, would pay for new mains installed under city streets and old steel pipes replaced with new ones made out of PVC and ductile iron, which have an expected life span of 75 to 100 years, according to the city.
The downtown area would be done in quadrants, one each year for the next four years.
New pipes and water mains could be replaced in their alley locations, but they're typically too crowded already with gas and sewer lines, and alleys are not always plowed, making access difficult, Hansen noted.
The city has incrementally been updating the system, relocating water mains under streets instead of alleys. New developments are required to connect to those water mains in the street when possible.
"We simply want to complete this project now, installing mains," Hansen said. "It's a matter of maintaining, replacing and upkeeping our infrastructure."
Peggy Bates is one customer in the commercial core whose new building is hooked up to a new water main, but she's hoping to learn more about the issue before deciding which way to vote.
"It's something I'd be interested in," she said. "As architects we're interested in what goes on in the city, and I always vote. But I want to read more about it and make an informed decision."
Getting the system updated now might save money and effort in the long run, Hansen said.
The city has hired an economic development consultant to help formulate a downtown master plan. Aspects to the plan, if implemented, could include streetscape designs.
If the bond passes, water bills are expected to rise 8 percent per month.
The city would offer incentives for customers to put new water lines from within their properties to connect with the new service pipes. A $1,000 rebate could cover between 20 to 50 percent of the cost, Hansen estimated.
If voters don't approve the bond, the utilities department will repair the pipes as they have been doing since the city purchased the system, Hansen said.
"We'll continue to do like we have for the last 20 years since we bought it," he said.
That could result in increased water bills for all customers as well due to maintenance costs.
If the city can replace the old system, however, water conservation will increase and the need for a new well to be drilled could be postponed, he said.
"We don't want to issue a blanket rule that people connect to the pipes," Hansen said. "The City Council may rethink that and have another plan we enact."
Election Tuesday
Polls are open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 7, at Ketchum City Hall. All registered Ketchum voters can vote, whether or not they are water customers.
