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A decade later, KUB continues to replace pipes and upgrade utility infrastructure

Construction seems to be endless because you can never stop maintaining everything that goes in to keeping our power on and our water running.

It's been more than ten years since KUB started a massive construction project to bring Knoxville more reliable power.

More than a decade later, there is still no end in sight for the Century II program.

That's a long-term guide the utility company is using to replace aging water lines and power poles countywide.

"It's kind of a cycle," said Stephanie Midgett with KUB communications. "We can't do it all at one time, so we study our systems, see what needs to be prioritized, take care of those first and then move on for the next."

Construction seems to be endless because you can never stop maintaining everything that goes in to keeping our power on and our water running.

For example, new pipes were just installed around Depot Avenue just north of Downtown Knoxville.

That project will be complete this year.

In Sequoyah Hills, crews are replacing 18 miles of concrete pipes with PVC. They are in phase one of three.

"Overall this project is scheduled to last through late summer early fall of 2021," said Midgett.

It means a lot of road closures all over that area for nearly three more years.

"Some of the water mains and wastewater mains have been in the ground since the 1920s," said Midgett. "So as they approach the end of their useful lives, about 100 years, it is time for those to come out and be replaced with something new and modern."

It's not just water. Electricity upgrades are going on in parts of Fountain City and Powell, and a natural gas update project is wrapping up in South Knoxville.

While it may be a slight inconvenience, KUB says it will all be worth it.

"This construction matters because it's taking our current infrastructure and making sure it's going to be good in the future," said Midgett.

The next big Century II upgrade will be an update to the wastewater treatment plant on Neyland Drive.

That construction will start after UT finishes finals and wrap up December graduation ceremonies.

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