FORT SMITH, Ark. — Driving around Fort Smith —whether on main roads or down residential streets— you can see water pool, or trickle down sidewalks and gutters.
If it seems like more than usual, it's because according to Lance McAvoy, the utility director for the City of Fort Smith, after a downward trend to start the year, leaks have been increasing.
From January to September the city has accumulated 600 more reports of leaks than was reported during the same time last year.
The increase has created frustration.
"The leaks are an inconvenience, we want to get those fixed," says McAvoy. "I don't like having leaks in the system."
His frustration is shared among dozens of residents in Fort Smith as well.
One such person is Rick Eubank. He lives on the corner of South P Street, and since June, the front corner of his property has turned swampy.
Eubank first noticed a small leak at the beginning of summer and reported it immediately to the city. By July, he received a response from the utility department who determined it was on the city side of the meter. However, nothing had been done since.
"What started out to be probably a hundred bucks and a couple guys with some fittings coming over and fixing it, has turned into, now, we're going to have to have the driveway torn out, the sidewalk torn out, fill dirt brought in, new concrete poured," said Eubank.
As the leak began to grow, the grass and pavement became a hazard for anyone not familiar with the situation.
"My grandson got out of the car, he didn't think anything of it, he just come running, first step he took into it, he sunk right to his knee," Eubank said. "Had another guy walking up the driveway where the water is constantly running down it, he slid and fell."
By Tuesday, the leak in front of Eubank's house was repaired, but the repair is just one of many still waiting to be fixed. McAvoy sheds light on what has prevented his crews from timely repairs.
"Supply chain has been a big factor on getting parts," says McAvoy. "Pre-COVID, we would place an order and within three to six weeks we would have the parts. Right now, we place an order and we're looking at three to six months getting it in, and that's if they don't cancel your order."
However, this is not the only external factor hindering the department, he says the departure of a large portion of personnel has been detrimental.
"We're down about 30% in the group that just fixes leaks. That's a huge hit on being able to get boots on the ground to fix those," said McAvoy.
There are more than 700 miles of water piping all throughout Fort Smith. The department relies on reports being called in to be added to their list. Once inspected, leaks will be marked with a spray-painted "COFS" indicating someone has taken a look.
McAvoy urges anyone who sees a leak to call the utility department at (479) 784-2342. Even if the leak has been reported, you can inquire about the status of the repair.
Other than supply chain issues and personnel, the weather has been a factor to consider. Water pipes are either metal or PVC, the deep freeze in February 2021 and the drought of this summer put an additional, unexpected strain on the pipes.
Outside of residential areas, water leaks have been reported along major roadways. Metal plates covered holes on Rogers Avenue in front of Hobby Lobby, as well as in the intersection of Towson and Phoenix Avenues.
McAvoy says it is more of an art form than science to find leaks. In the case of Towson and Phoenix Avenues, the department located the leak due to a broken valve and is waiting for the necessary parts to arrive.
On Rogers Avenue, the metal plate was removed after the road department patched the hole, but McAvoy notes the leak is still present and a priority to fix with freezing temperatures on the horizon.
McAvoy says, "Shy of digging up all of Rogers Avenue, which is not the solution, that's where the water is coming up and we know it's coming up from another location but trying to find that location has been a bigger challenge than we thought."
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