CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The City of Corpus Christi's efforts to update aging water pipes is proving to be a more difficult task than originally estimated.
City officials told 3NEWS that the pipeline replacement program is for water and wastewater.
Currently, more than 45,000 linear feet of water line is replaced a year.
Corpus Christi Water Department Chief Operating Officer Michael Murphy said the city will spend about $80 million this year on the program.
The money will be split up into seven contracts and with in-house professional technicians as they address water and sewer issues across the city.
Murphy said addressing pipe issues now helps prepare them for the Coastal Bend's extreme weather throughout the year.
"Last thing we want to do is, especially during drought and water restrictions is to waste a lot of water from leaking pipes," he said. "So, it's very critical that we get on that as quickly as we possibly can and know where it's most likely that they're going to occur."
The program is for small and large diameter pipes in areas known around the city for leaks and breaks. It is also for emergency repairs, like the one on the SPID feeder roads currently being repaired.
Murphy said that while some pipes are decades old, longevity is more about pipe materials than its age. He said the city finds old pipes in good condition and new pipes in bad condition.
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