Enterprise Water Project

City of Enterprise to begin Water System Project

The City of Enterprise has been awarded $163,777 KAN STEP grant by the Kansas Department of Commerce to make additional improvements to the city's water system.

The project consists of installing 3,600 feet of 6-, 4-and 2-inch pipeline which will replace an abandoned main that connected the east and west sides of town. The project will also eliminate most of the remaining dead-end pipelines in the city's distribution system. Volunteers will also be replacing eight fire hydrants. The replacements are being made because parts are no longer available for the existing hydrants. Two of the new hydrants will be installed to provide better fire protection in under-served areas of town. The remaining part of the project will be to replace 16 valves that were not replaced during the 2003 KAN STEP water project as well as installing five new valves that will allow the city to better isolate much smaller areas of the system. With the new valves and the replacement of the very old remaining valves, the largest segment of Enterprise's distribution system that will have to be shut off for repairs will be two blocks.

Banks Construction will be the directional boring contractor that will make three bores. One is under a creek, the second is under the BNSF Railroad tracks and the third is under K-43 Highway. KAN STEP is a self-help program that enables small communities to make major infrastructure improvements. Local people volunteer labor and services for "sweat equity," while and Kansas Department of Commerce provides funding for materials and technical services.

KAN STEP is an acronym for Kansas Small Towns Environment Program. It gives small Kansas communities an opportunity to do projects they couldn't otherwise afford. The funding is provided through the federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. Kansas Rural Water Association provides inspection service and technical assistance to KAN STEP projects.