Lewes BPW on track for new canal-crossing water main

The Lewes Board of Public Works expects construction of a new water main canal crossing to start in mid-October, after awarding a bid for the project.

“Time is of the essence,” said BPW President Tom Panetta at a special meeting Sept. 20.

BPW is currently operating only one canal crossing that provides water to the beach side of the city, after another main failed Aug. 20.

The failure caused a city-wide water outage and triggered a boil-water order that lasted less than 24 hours.

The new crossing will be located near the old railroad swing bridge. It would run from the end of the Lewes-to-Georgetown Trail, deep underwater, across the marsh and tie into a line on American Legion Road.

At the Sept. 20 meeting, the board voted unanimously to award a 126-day, $1.794 million contract to Teal Construction for the new main.

The company will drill under the canal and the marsh to connect the pipe on both sides.

Engineers from George, Miles & Buhr said the pipe will be fusible PVC, which will cost slightly less than other options.

“The real noisy part of [the drilling] is only four to six weeks,” Panetta said at the board’s regular meeting Sept. 25.

Teal is expected to start construction as soon as it has the materials and receives the necessary permits from the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

BPW was also required to have an agreement with the Delaware Department of Transportation because the water main is running on a former railroad right of way.

BPW General Manager Austin Calaman said the goal is to have the new main operating by the end of the year, if there are no delays. 

Panetta said a January or February time frame is more likely.

“The things that Austin, GMB and the contractors can control are going to be expedited as much as within our capacity,” said Richard Nichols, BPW board member.