Bentonville board approves extra $96,374 for water main repairs

BENTONVILLE — The city Utility Board approved an additional $96,374 Tuesday to cover repairs on the main 48-inch water line serving both Bentonville and Cave Springs after it was damaged last month.

Tom Butrynski, board chairman, said the Bentonville City Council will consider approving the board’s decision — which came on a 5-0 vote — later this month. The budget adjustment would bring the total the city spent on the emergency repair to $296,374.

The City Council unanimously approved authorizing the city to enter into a $200,000 contract with Crossland Heavy Contractors for the project April 23. Mike Bender, Bentonville’s public works director, said the $200,000 was Crossland’s estimate for the work it provided to fix the water main.

The line was damaged April 2 when a private contractor struck it near Arkansas 112 in Cave Springs.

Bender has said complete failure of the line occurred around 8 p.m. April 2. The leak was isolated by 9:45 p.m. and an emergency connection with Rogers Water Utilities was established for Bentonville.

The contractor that caused the initial damage to the water line was collecting soil samples when they accidentally created the obstruction, according to Bender. Bentonville was back at normal water pressure by the morning of April 3, having never lost water completely.

Cave Springs Mayor Randall Noblett said Springdale Water Utilities restored water in Cave Springs through an emergency connection. He said everyone affected by the line break had water restored by 11 p.m. April 2.

Bentonville announced crews successfully repaired the main April 11.

Bender wrote in materials included in the packet for Tuesday’s meeting the extra $96,374 includes costs for Crossland, labor, equipment and material the city provided and more than 10.5 million gallons of water the city lost due to the main damage. The city has billed the contractor responsible for the damage for the final cost of the project.

Preston Newbill, water utility deputy director, declined to disclose any information about the contractor Tuesday.

Newbill said in response to a question from Butrynski the $96,374 will come from the city’s utilities fund.