Project Overview

In June 2010, Pinellas County Utilities initiated a three-mile construction project on Belcher Road for the replacement of a defective 48-inch water main. The Belcher Road Water Main Replacement project will occur between East Bay Drive and Bryan Dairy Road. The cost of the project is $7,458,805 with a completion date in early March 2012. The project involves replacing the old 48-inch concrete pipe with a new 42-inch ductile iron pipe. A 12-inch and 16-inch potable water main will also be constructed. The existing 48-inch water main was constructed in the mid-1970s with a material later discovered to be defective. This segment is the last of over 12 miles of defective pipe to be replaced. The work includes connections to existing water mains, valves, fittings, taps, line stops, fire hydrants, air release assemblies, testing, plugging, disinfection, trenchless crossing at Ulmerton Road, maintenance of traffic, road reconstruction, and all related work.

Construction Sequencing

The project will be constructed in several phases, moving primarily from East Bay Drive to the south. The new pipe will be installed in the southbound lanes (on the west side of Belcher). Traffic will shift to the northbound lanes (east side of Belcher) during each construction phase. This construction sequence and modified traffic patterns will decrease the overall construction time by allowing for a traffic-free construction work zone and provide increased safety to the public and construction workers.

Communication with Pinellas County Utilities

Pinellas County Utilities is committed to keep communication lines open for our customers. Steve Toth and Wes Merritt are the project’s inspectors, and will be on site to answer any questions from property owners and affected parties. For more information, or to report after-hours emergencies, please contact Customer Service at (727) 464-4000.