Karen Martin

Staff Writer

kamartin@elkintribune.com

Elkin is leaking.

In a report by John Holcomb for the months of November and December, Elkin lost an approximate 35 percent or 100 to 150,000 gallons of water per day out of the east Elkin zone. This zone runs from Johnson Ridge Road to the sharp curve on West Main St.

“All of these pipes are cast iron and have been in place for years,” Fuller said. “The problems are not the main lines themselves, but the lateral service pipes. We’re working to replace these lines and the meters, therefore reducing the amount of water loss.

“We’ve applied for an approximate $200,000 Rural Center grant that would allow us to replace the service lines around the library and on W. Main Street,” he said. The town’s portion of matching money would be around $32,000. We’re hoping to get the grant, but there would be no new job creations with the installation of the water lines,”

Jobs creation is usually required to receive stimulus and other state and federal grant money.

Because current Elkin employees would be repairing the service lines, grant money could be difficult to secure.

Last year the town of Elkin contracted with Surry County to sell it up to 550,000 gallons of water per day. The water will be furnished by the county from the area of Pirate’s Landing to Wildlife Road, back to C. C. Camp Road, up to Friendship, turn down toward U. S. Hwy. 268 and back left to Friendship Road.

“The lines are ready, but the meter has not been set,” said Fuller. “The location of the meter is on the plans and when it is in place, the water can flow.”

The town of Elkin uses 850 to 900,000 gallons of water a day.

“When everything is in place, the Surry lines will use an approximate 10,000 gallons per day,” he said. “If and when the lines are extended to some of the corporate businesses such as Wayne Farms and Weyerhaeuser and they connect, then the water usage will exceed the 10,000 gallons.”

Another water line project is also moving forward as the town of Ronda expands water service lines further in the Pleasant Hill community.

The residents of U. S. 268 to Austin-Traphill Road to the BP convenience store and the church day care are all Elkin water customers who pay more because they live outside the city limits.

With the extension of the water to the fire department, around C. B. Eller Road, up Austin-Traphill to Walker, the town of Ronda will take over the water service there,” Fuller said.

Fuller will present four budgets that include the water works, garbage, streets and the Powell Fund on April 1. The operating budget will also include any plans for purchase of equipment using capital purchase funds.

The budgets Fuller presents will then be examined line by line with John Holcomb, Elkin‘s finance director and Lloyd Payne, Elkin’s town manager.

The public works budget will then be incorporated into the town’s 2010 - 2011 budget and presented to the town board for approval.

The public works department has five employees in the street department, four in the water distribution department and three in the sanitation department.