Missouri American Water Plans Pipeline Upgrades on Multiple Streets in Mexico

Missouri American Water is investing in three projects to upgrade water mains in its Mexico district as the company wraps up 2019.

Three water main projects with a combined investment of more than $800,000 will help enhance water service reliability to customers in Mexico. Each of the mains selected for replacement has a history of breaks and was originally installed in the 1940s or 1950s.

  • Lakeview Road: Missouri American Water is replacing the old raw water main in the system from well No. 3 at Lakeview Park Lake to South Western Ave.
  • North Jefferson: From West Orange to Lakenan Street, the company will be installing 2,800 feet of 8-inch PVC main that will be replacing the current 6-inch cast iron main.
  • North Washington and Schopp: The company will be installing 650 feet of 8-inch PVC pipe to replace the current 2-inch cast iron pipe. The company will also be installing 600 feet of new main on Schopp from North Jefferson to North Clark Street where no current main exists, improving the water flow for that area of our system.

“Aging infrastructure is a challenge we face across the state, from our water mains to our treatment plants,” said Debbie Dewey, president of Missouri American Water. “We are committed to working with legislators and key stakeholders so we can attract more capital for these types of planned replacement projects that increase service and reliability for our customers.”

Main breaks, which occur for a number of reasons including temperature and pipe deterioration from age and soil corrosion, can be very costly and inconvenient to fix, as they often cause pavement and property damage, service interruptions and boil advisories.

Patrick Kelly, operations manager for Missouri American Water’s Mexico district, said, “We’ve seen an uptick in main breaks, and replacing and upgrading sections of pipe where breaks are repeatedly occurring allows us to better serve our customers.”

Work on these projects generally will take place from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Weather-pending, the projects are expected to be completed by the end of November, with restoration of any disturbed land to be completed in spring 2019.

During construction, customers might experience temporary water service interruptions, discolored water and/or lower-than-normal water pressure. For more information, contact Missouri American Water at 866-430-0820.

Missouri American Water

Missouri American Water, a subsidiary of American Water (NYSE: AWK), is the largest investor-owned water utility in the state, providing high-quality and reliable water and/or wastewater services to approximately 1.5 million people.

With a history dating back to 1886, American Water is the largest and most geographically diverse U.S. publicly traded water and wastewater utility company. The company employs more than 7,100 dedicated professionals who provide regulated and market-based drinking water, wastewater and other related services to more than 14 million people in 46 states. American Water provides safe, clean, affordable and reliable water services to our customers to make sure we keep their lives flowing. For more information, visit amwater.com and follow American Water on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.