A contractor installing new fiber optic infrastructure in Belle accidentally struck a water line Wednesday, July 8, near the intersection of Highway 28 and South Linn Avenue.
As of Wednesday afternoon, a time frame for repairs could not be provided, though city employees along with Mayor James (Pudd) Mitchell were at the site alongside the contractor to access the damaged line.
The incident occurred during the second week of an ongoing broadband expansion project being completed by Power Connect on behalf of Rise Broadband. According to Renato Fusari of Power Connect, the company is installing new conduit for future fiber optic service at multiple locations throughout Belle.
Rather than one continuous installation, the project consists of several smaller sections along Highway 28, Alvarado Street near downtown and other areas of the city. Fusari said the Belle portion of the project includes several thousand feet of underground installation before crews move on to other locations.
Although Wednesday's water line strike temporarily halted work in the area, Fusari said one of the biggest challenges throughout the project has been identifying existing underground utilities before excavation begins.
"We are having a lot of problems with locators," Fusari said, explaining that crews have often had to wait for utility locators to arrive before work could proceed. In some locations, underground utilities have been encountered despite no visible utility markings.
Fusari specifically praised Darrin Guinn, public works director, for assisting the crew throughout the project.
"Every time we call him, he comes and locates the water," Fusari said, adding that Belle's aging underground infrastructure has occasionally made locating water lines difficult, even for city personnel at times.
The contractor said older infrastructure has presented unexpected challenges as crews work to install modern fiber optic service beneath city streets.
Once completed, the project will expand fiber optic infrastructure throughout Belle, supporting improved broadband service for the community. Despite Wednesday's setback, work is expected to continue as repairs are completed and installation progresses through the remaining sections of the project.
