Residents in the upper portion of Ridgeway Drive may soon have decades-old issues with water pressure come to an end. This morning, the Bridgeport Utility Board directed City Engineer to begin the process of asking for a preliminary design to be done for a pump that would increase the pressure to that are significantly.

 

“We’re looking at putting an in-line pump into the main line so that we increase the pressure by approximately 30 PSI (pounds per square inch) throughout the above area,” said Brown.

 

The “above area” will be the area above the area where the pump will be installed on Sherwood Drive. Brown said it will be installed on a vacant lot. The new, intersecting line will go from Lee Ann Lane to Ridgeway and should help individuals with marginal water pressure on Lee Ann Lane as well.

 

“That will definitely increase the pressure on the areas above,” said Brown.

 

While the project – once designed, bid out and constructed – will help low water pressures, leaving it unchecked would likely create too much water pressure in some areas. Because of that, Brown said the project will also have to address that as well.

 

“On the other areas coming off that don’t have PSI problems we’ll have to put in check valves to make sure we don’t increase pressures where we create a problem that would require us to put in pressure regulators,” said Brown.

 

Brown told the Bridgeport Utility Board that the project will likely be in the low six figure range. That will be washed out once an engineering/architectural firm is chosen to do the design and then a contract is awarded once the design is put out for contractors to bid on.

 

Heading into this morning’s meeting, it was initially thought that another option was going to be done to handle the problem. That option included the city creating a reimbursable grant program that would allow for residents to put in their own in-home pumps and be reimbursed up to $1,000. That, however, went to the wayside after concerns were heard from several Ridgeway residents and members of Council.

 

“It’s not a simple fix with the pumps,” Council member Darrell Bowen said. “ … We’ve come such a long way in Bridgeport over the last 30 to 40 years and this is one area we need to address because it is important to the quality of life for our residents.”

 

Council member Diana Marra, who spoke after Bowen, wondered if the pumps were only a temporary fix. Marra called using the pumps a Band Aid solution and was basically putting “lipstick on a pig.”

 

“Eventually, this is a bigger issue that the top of Ridgeway … You have a lot of land heading that way toward Charles Point that is not going to sit there; eventually it’s going to be developed as well,” she said.

 

Marra and Bowen got no argument from those who attended the meeting that have been impacted in the past. Resident Bob Watson said the issue with water pressure has been taking place for up to 40 years. He backed Bowen’s assessment that the in-home pumps aren’t a long-term answer.

 

“You ideally need 220 electrical service and then you’re talking about additional costs of electric. Why should the owners of those homes have to put out the money for this? … I think we have a terrible situation with infrastructure in this town and by putting in those pumps you’re just opening up a can of worms,” said Watson.

 

Perhaps another resident’s words, those of Vicki Huffman, hit home the hardest. Huffman said simple fixes, particularly in Bridgeport, aren’t the norm.

 

“We’re in the City of Bridgeport. We don’t do the minimum,” said Huffman.                  

 

The plan that was given a go-ahead today does not address a few other areas that also are experiencing water issues. The areas in question are sections of Briarwood and South Hills. Brown said those will be up for future discussion.

 

Editor's Note: Top photo shows City Engineer Tom Brown listening to those gathered at this morning's Utility Board meeting, while Darrell Bowen addressed the group in the second photo. Bottom picture shows resident Bob Watson voicing his concerns to the Utility Board.