Published: February 25, 2009 10:57 pm      

New system could track Garrett water lines

County seeks $210,000 grant

OAKLAND — A new geographic information system could make finding water valves and pumps easier for the Garrett County Department of Public Utilities.

“This is an amazing project,” Linda Lindsey, department director, said. “It will save us a tremendous amount of time and money, and it will keep better track of things.”

She told the county commissioners at their public meeting Tuesday that with a handheld device, employees would be able to locate a valve or the path of a line, even if it is buried in several feet of snow or if a resident has put a deck over the top of it.

Lindsey said current records would be provided to a company and county employees would then check for anything not recorded.

Once the initial work is done, the program will keep a record of the last time that maintenance would have been done, or even when a valve was installed or replaced.

The program, according to John Nelson, director of planning and land development, was first looked into by the town of Mountain Lake Park. If the county would support the project, it could be done countywide with much of the funding secured through a grant.

Lindsey said Thrasher Engineering estimated $210,000 for the grant application, but that if the county receives the money, the program would have to be put out for proposals like any other county project.

The department plans to meet with Thrasher Engineering in March to discuss the potential of the project.

Ernie Gregg, commissioner, said he felt the project makes sense for the county to pursue, calling it “a no brainer.”

He said recently, Mountain Lake Park had been trying to track some of the water and sewer lines and was having difficulty with the process.

Debbie Carpenter, GIS specialist for the department of planning and land development, said there would be no need for a maintenance fee because county and town workers could input any changes. Thrasher Engineering would be available for assistance on a case-by-case basis.

Nelson said Friends of Deep Creek Lake has requested the county to assist with watershed mapping. The group obtained a small grant to coordinate with work at the local level to gather information on nutrient levels in the lake.

As long as the county doesn’t “overstep our bounds,” Commissioner Denny Glotfelty said, he approves getting involved. He wants to ensure that the county doesn’t duplicate services already offered by the state.

Contact Sarah Moses at smoses@times-news.com.