8th Street Water Main | 20th & 21st Street Information | Water Main & Hydrant Flushing | Electric Pole Inspection
Maintaining the Holland BPW utility system is essential to the reliability of our services. Oftentimes crews are working in roads, which can be dangerous. We ask our community to help keep our team safe. When you see crews working, please take care to respect their work zones.
8th Street Water Main Replacement
- When: Oct 6, 2020 - Nov 25, 2020
- Where: 8th Street from Walnut Ave to Hwy 31
Project Summary
Holland BPW is replacing the water main in 8th St from Walnut Ave to Hwy 31. The current water main has experienced several breaks recently and replacement of the main is necessary to ensure reliable water service. The work will require closure of the eastbound lane of 8th St from Walnut Ave to Hwy 31. Traffic will be detoured via Chicago Dr and Hwy 31 instead. Westbound traffic will continue as normal and business access will be maintained via the westbound lanes. The work is expected to take approximately 6 weeks to complete.
20th & 21st Street Reconstruction Project
- When: Work begins March 23, 2020
- Where: Cleveland from 19th to 21st Street
COVID-19 UPDATE:
The 20th/21st Project will continue, though in a modified way.
All work requiring entry into customer homes has been postponed for the time being to reduce potential health concerns and ensure un-interrupted utility services for the duration of the “Stay Home, Stay Safe” Executive Order 2020-21. The contractor will instead focus on components of the work that do not directly impact residents, and that are allowed under the Executive Order. This work will take place primarily in Cleveland St.
We appreciate your patience as we try to complete this work with minimal impacts to you.
Holland Board of Public Works will be reconstructing portions of Cleveland, 20th Street and 21st Street.
Cleveland will include new storm sewer installation.
20th Street will include water mains, storm sewer, concrete sidewalk, drive apporoaches, curbs and asphalt pavement.
21st Street will include new sewer mains, water mains, storm sewer, concrete sidewalk, drive apporoaches, curbs and asphalt pavement.
Work will be done in 2 phases
- Phase 1 – Cleveland Ave and 21st; March 23 – July 30, 2020. Due to COVID-19 impacts, this timeframe may be extended by a few weeks.
- Phase 2 – 20th St is scheduled to begin as early as June 22, 2020.
All dates are weather dependent and may be altered due to inclement weather, underground conditions found upon excavations, or other unforeseen circumstances.
Information for Residents
Our goal is to keep you informed and up-to-date about this project from start to finish.
- Residents will generally have daily access to homes, except during immediate construction at home, including curing of concrete and paving.
- Water shut offs are necessary for construction activities. Shutoffs will be shared with customers by orange door hangers with times of shut downs, a minimum of 24 hours in advance unless caused by an emergency.
- Trash cans should be labeled with the house number, usually with tape. Trash pickup should continue as normal. The contractor may have to move trash cans.
- Now is a good time to replace the remaining portion of the sanitary service lines if the line is in need of replacement. The City of Holland has a Home Repair program that residents might find helpful. [Learn More]
- Footing drain sump pumps should be connected to the storm sewer. Now is a good time to connect these to the storm sewer. Please let project staff know if we need to accommodate your home.
- The contractor will be working in compliance with executive orders concering COVID-19 exposure.
Special Instructions
The Brenner Excavating will setup and maintain all barricades, signs and warning devices as deemed necessary to assure public safety. Contractor must follow guidelines for road closures or lane closures as set forth in the Michigan Manual of Uniform Traffic Devices.
- On-Site Inspector - Doug Huges, OMM Engineering, 616.818.0394
- HBPW Engineering Contact - Mark Gipson, Water/Wastewater Services, 616.355.1644
- HBPW On-Site Contact - David Cyrus, Water/Wastewater Services, 616.355.1646
- Brenner Excavating - Cheech Martinez, 616.218.0699
- Sump or Drainage Concerns - Aric Thorne, City of Holland, 616.928.2444
Progress Updates
Oct 10, 2020
20 & 21st Street
- All underground pipe work is complete.
- Paving is expected to be completed by Oct 31, 2020.
August 10, 2020
21st Street
- All underground pipe work is complete.
Upcoming: Road building will start. As curbs and driveways are poured access to driveways will be banned for 7 days as concrete cures. Residents are welcome to park in font their homes while the concrete is curing. Pavement will follow when concrete has cured.
20th Street
- Water main installation has begun on 20th at Maple progressing eastward. New water main should be fully installed by near the end of next week to Michigan.
- Storm sewer installation will be completed as breaks in water main work allow.
Residents should be aware of the moving work zone and plan on driveways being temporarily inaccessible during working hours. Brennner will notify impacted residents verbally as work progresses.June 18, 2020 - 21st Street is about 2/3 completed. Current progress has been made between Ottawa to Harrison. The next step is water service replacements and th work between Harrison and Van Raalte.
Water Main & Hydrant Flushing
To improve water quality and minimize discoloration, Holland Board of Public Works water mains are comprehensively flushed by a technique known as unidirectional flushing. The procedure is performed in warm-weather months and involves the systematic opening and closing of hydrants, one section of main at a time, to force the water through the pipes at high velocity, removing accumulated mineral sediment until the water is clear.
If hydrant flushing is happening in your area, here are some things to be aware of:
1. You may experience periods of low pressure.
Typically, the operation itself can take from a few minutes to over an hour, but the average is 30 minutes. If you experience a complete loss of pressure or the temporary low pressure causes a problem, please contact HBPW at 616.355.1500.
2. Flushing may lead to discolored water. This is okay!
Flushing operations may also lead to discolored water, which can be drawn into homes and businesses if the water is being used during or immediately following the flushing. Such events should affect customers for a few hours at the most. The discoloration is caused by iron (red color) or manganese (black color) particles being dislodged from the water main which can stain porcelain and laundry. If discoloration occurs, open the cold tap nearest the water meter—usually a basement sink— to full flow until the water runs clear. In some situations this may take take 5 to 10 minutes. It is also advised that you make sure your water is clear before doing laundry or other projects where discolored water could cause problems.
3. Schedule of Flushing
A precise scheudle of flushing operations is difficult to determine more than a week in advance. Check the map to see the area that will be flushed this year. We appreciate your patience and understanding during this water main cleaning process.
pdf 2020 Water Main & Hydrant Flushing Map (1.09 MB)
Pole Inspection
Holland BPW inspects electric poles regularly to ensure safety and reliability of the Holland BPW electric system.
We have contracted Utility Asset Management Inc. to conduct a thorough inspection of the poles in certain areas. The inspection includes analysis of wood condition, wire and communication cable condition, and any other concerns. The inspection process began in May and will take several months. (If your area is scheduled for inspection, we mailed you a post card in the spring.)
Utility Asset Management will be accessing power poles for inspection as allowed by the Holland BPW terms of service.
If you have questions, please contact customer service, (616) 355-1500 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Utility Asset Management, Inc. (UAM) is an essential infrastructure company. To protect the health and safety of the public and crews, they implemented COVID-19 Field Protocols. While inspecting the poles in your area, the protocols will be followed.
UAM COVID-19 Field Protocols
- A maximum of three people are allowed in UAM vehicles.
- UAM staff must maintain at least 6 ft distance from any interactions with the public.
- UAM Staff will actively inform the public of social distancing requirements during any interactions.