ShawneeDispatch.com

Repairs to a WaterOne intake jetty on the Kansas River just east of Interstate 435 are complete -- ahead of schedule and under budget to boot.

Crews during the last three weeks replaced nearly 30,000 tons of materials at the rock structure. Some of the larger holes were patched with rock weighing 16 tons, said Eileen Koutelas, spokeswoman for WaterOne.

The project was completed last week using about 28,440 tons of rock, 18 days ahead of schedule and for about $80,000 less than the $1.37 million budget, Koutelas said.

Revenue collected from water sales to 15 Kansas City area cities and more than 350,000 people metrowide were used to fund the repairs.

Koutelas said that the improvements will allow the firm to resume normal business at the facility in time for the Kansas City area's spring and summer heavy-use period.

"We're looking at bringing the Kansas River facility back on line (this) week," Koutelas said.

The Kansas River operation consists of the rock jetty, which diverts water, and a treatment plant.

WaterOne routinely shuts down its Kansas River facility during colder months and relies solely on its Missouri River operation, which provides about two-thirds, or 110 million gallons, of the company's 165 million gallon-per-day capacity during the summer.

A wide gap on the jetty's north side was opened after substantial rain in early March washed away some of the structure. The jetty was constructed in the mid-1960s and last was repaired in 1977, Koutelas said.

"We repaired it to last as long as it did before if not longer," Koutelas said.

Koutelas said besides repairing the jetty, WaterOne crews also installed several equipment upgrades at the treatment plant to help alleviate some taste and odor problems that had been reported.

While the damage primarily was restricted to the jetty's north half, Koutelas said minor adjustments were made along the entire surface where erosion was evident.

In addition, Koutelas said the company approved a contract for Black & Veatch to study further engineering enhancements that could prevent against future breaks.