Update given on replacement project

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

The city of Van Wert’s water meter replacement project is going slower than planned.

Safety-Service Director Jay Fleming gave an update during Monday night’s meeting of Van Wert City Council and said the city is struggling with project.

“We currently sit at about 75 percent of our materials delivered,” Fleming said. “We’re still missing 800-900 meters that aren’t here yet, numerous parts that we have to have to make the meter change-out. There’s gaskets and other brass material – brass is a huge problem in the water industry right now.”

Fleming added he doesn’t have a start date and he told the supplier he wants the materials here before beginning work.

“We’re not going to go into this and get 60 percent through then find we can’t complete it and have to wait three months for parts to come, so it’s probably a three month situation once we have everything in hand,” he said. “They keep telling us the stuff is going to trickle in and we should have it pretty soon. I definitely want to try to get this started this spring.”

The replacement project was originally scheduled to begin last fall and be complete around the holidays.