Flagler Beach approves design work for South Central water main; commissioners debate timing for purple (reclaimed) pipe

The Flagler Beach City Commission approved a task order with Mead & Hunt on April 23 to design the Phase 2 South Central Water Main Replacement Project, covering South 3rd Street through South 19th Street, and to provide bidding assistance initially for South 3rd–6th Street.

Staff told the commission the project will replace asbestos/concrete and aging mains and that design is the first step with construction to be budgeted in future years. The design budget is a pre‑construction action; roughly $4.4 million was cited as a rough order of magnitude for full Phase 2 work depending on whether the city budgets the entire corridor in a single year or stages it across fiscal years.

Discussion focused on two technical questions: lessons learned from Phase 1 where some nearby old lines broke during work, and whether reclaimed water (the so‑called "purple pipe") should be installed now in the roadway segment to avoid future pavement cuts. Commissioners worried that placing reuse pipe under asphalt where replacement would require tearing up pavement could be expensive, while staff noted that south of 9th Street most pipe can be located outside the travel lane and could be easier to install.

Commissioners also raised the practical risk of leaving reclaimed lines dry for years — rubber seals and gaskets can deteriorate if lines are not put in service — and asked staff to examine options to keep new lines wet or temporarily connected if installed ahead of demand. The commission voted unanimously to approve the design task order and bidding assistance scope as presented, and to return later with scheduling and cost breakdowns for successive phases.