Water Line Replacement Begins Tomorrow

Metro Water Services will start replacing the water line that runs down Belle Meade Boulevard from Page to Harding Road and thence to Lynnwood. Also slated for replacement is the line that follows Jackson Boulevard from Harding Road to Gerald Place and Gerald Place to Belle Meade Boulevard. Lastly, the line along Glen Eden from Estes to Jackson will also be replaced. The project is scheduled to begin tomorrow at the intersection of Page and Belle Meade and continue for about 10 months.

This work is a result of years of deteriorating water pressure in the area brought on by aging infrastructure and higher water demand. The problem had become so acute that two summers ago, Metro Water Services installed a temporary pump on Harding Place to help maintain water flow. Higher elevations like Jackson Boulevard have been especially hard hit.

Expect much of what you have seen on Harding Place. There will be extensive street excavations, detours and those nifty metal plates that make a lot of noise when you roll over them. The water main will be replaced as will all service lines from the main to your meter box. We should also see some new fire hydrants.

Metro Water Services is working closely with the City of Belle Meade to make this as small a headache for everyone as possible but there is no getting around some inconvenience. Feel free to take alternate routes, use the park for biking and jogging and generally avoid the area if you don't like to be slowed down by major infrastructure improvements. Also, keep it in perspective. Most of this water line was installed in 1913 by a private developer named Luke Lea. A little upgrade every century or so is probably something we can all deal with.