Metronet issues apology for dig that caused Copperas Cove water main damage

By LYNETTE SOWELL

Cove Leader-Press

The telecommunications company Metronet has issued a statement of apology after an Aug. 16 incident in which a subcontractor bored into the City of Copperas Cove’s 16-water main, and a nearby sewer main as well.

This triggered an automatic citywide boil water order that lasted a little more than 48 hours, Friday afternoon through Sunday, while City of Copperas Cove workers made repairs. Water samples were sent to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) before the water was deemed safe for the city’s approximately 14,000 water utility customers to drink.

“We apologize to the residents of Copperas Cove impacted by the water line damage. Constructing a fiber network is difficult work, and sometimes even with our industry-leading safety protocols our crews inadvertently cause damage.

“We are actively working with the City of Copperas Cove to identify areas where these high-profile lines are located. And we are taking additional steps to ensure that these critical lines are located properly or avoided entirely moving forward.

“With safety being of utmost importance, we are working with the City of Copperas Cove to minimize any future issues. When contractors do not follow our safety standards, they will be terminated, like in this case,” stated Kris Smith, Vice President of Metronet’s Central Region.

Any resident concerned about construction or property restoration may submit a ticket via Metronet’s construction website at www.construction.metronet.com.

Metronet is offering hotel reimbursement to Copperas Cove residents  impacted by the boil water order. Those that had to stay in a hotel over the weekend, as a result of the notice, may file their reimbursement online at https://www.metronet.com/cct or may call (877) 386-3876.

If submitting online, they will need to follow the above link, click “Ask a Question,” and will need to fill out the form. Their reason for submission should be “Property Impacted.”

Those filing reimbursement will need to submit a photo receipt in order to receive check reimbursement.

Since spring, there have been a total of 91 incidents documented by the City that involve Metronet’s installation in a public right of way including those reported by private property owners.

The City of Copperas Cove released incident documents via an open records request.

One spreadsheet shows 34 incidents since April 1, in which Metronet’s subcontractors damaged City of Copperas Cove service waterlines. According to those documents, several subcontractors have worked for Metronet, doing the digging in Copperas Cove.

Another spreadsheet, an Incident Report Log, documents 50 incidents since March 28 in which a contractor struck private water lines, water service lines, sewer service lines, and private irrigation lines.

There are seven incidents between May 21 and Aug. 15 in which Metronet workers struck an Atmos natural gas line.

During one three-day span, Aug. 13-15, there were four gas line strikes to which the Copperas Cove Fire Department responded, with two of those incidents occurring on the same day on Kelso and Ballard Drives, in the Morse Valley Subdivision.

The repair cost for the city’s infrastructure damages – billed to either Metronet or the subcontractor, depending on the incident –amounts to $9,218.70 so far, with more to be processed.

“This number does not reflect the 16” Transmission Main damage on August 16th. That invoice is currently at $13,000 and growing as additional numbers are provided,” said Kevin Keller, Public Relations Director for the City of Copperas Cove.

The amounts were not given for the damages done on private property rights of way, also submitted for payment. At least one property owner paid for their repairs out of pocket, to be reimbursed by Metronet.

At the Tuesday, Aug. 20 Copperas Cove city council meeting, City Manager Ryan Haverlah spoke about the issues and said that city administration along with the mayor had in-person meetings with Metronet representatives who were in Copperas Cove on Tuesday.

He first addressed the Aug. 16 incident, which not only damaged the water main but a nearby sewer line, he revealed. He said that the sewer line discharge did not enter the city’s water line system, but the boil water notice was necessary.

He thanked the City Departments who worked on repairs on the water and sewer mains until they were completed on Saturday morning, approximately 24 hours of full repair activity, he said.

Haverlah likewise thanked the City of Killeen for assisting with some of the parts that were needed for repairs.

“Moving into the future, though, we are coordinating with Metronet on a much closer coordination in terms of locating utility lines, especially critical infrastructure like water mains, to ensure that they do not cause these problems in the future. There's no 100 percent guarantee. However, we can greatly reduce the risk of causing this type of problem in the future again, and they have committed to all of our requirements and directives with future construction activities,” Haverlah announced. “We should, as a city, see a decrease in the construction activity by Metronet so that it is more manageable, not only by Metronet, but our team in the event there are other utilities that are struck.”