Louisville Water using new method to replace water main from 1800s in Park Hill neighborhood

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Louisville Water crews are working to fix 130-year-old pipes that carry people's drinking water to homes.

Louisville has more than 4,000 miles of water mains across the city. There's a water main in the Park Hill neighborhood that has been used since the late 1800s.

Earlier this month, Louisville Water launched a multi-year project to rehabilitate a 130-year-old water main along Oak and Dumesnil streets. Construction is underway on Dumesnil Street, an area that includes industrial and residential properties.

LOUISVILLE WATER MAIN REPLACEMENT — A photo of a water main in Louisville from the 1800s.

Vince Guenthner, Louisville Water Senior Utilities Consultant, said the 48-inch main was identified as a good one to replace because of its history of leaks and breaks over the years. Louisville Water sets aside $20 million a year to restore the pipes.

"It's critical to making sure we have adequate supply for essentially a large part of the city, so it's really important that we stay ahead of these aging pieces of infrastructure, make sure that we replace them in a timely manner. This main in particular, it's had a break, it's had a couple of leaks, so it really is time for us to make this replacement."

Louisville Water will use an innovative method known as sliplining to rehab the water main. That same method was used on Eastern Parkway in 2019.

"Sliplining is a process where we keep the existing water main in place and slip in a new water main inside the existing main," Guenthner said. "This process is less disruptive to the street and neighborhood and the result is a fully rehabbed main that is designed to last another 100 years."

Traditionally, crews have to dig up the entire street, tear the whole water main out and put in brand new pipes.

"We try to keep the impact to the surrounding neighborhood as minimal as possible," said Dennis Pike, Louisville Water Company Construction Inspector.

Louisville Water expects the project to improve the reliability of water supply for the city.

Drivers will deal with some detours and lane closures during the project, but the whole street won't be dug up.

In about a month, the project will move to Oak Street east of Seventh Street into Old Louisville.

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