A Quarter-Million Down The Drain? Fiber-Linked Water Main Damage Adds Up

NASHVILLE, TN — Crews working on the infrastructure for a much-ballyhooed gigabit fiber network damaged water mains 71 times in a 15 month period, according to Metro Water records.

All told, there's been $261,889 in damage and Google Fiber isn't done digging yet.

A report delivered to the Metro Council this week only lists the name of the contractor responsible, not the internet company they work for, so it is unclear how much of that damage is attributable to Google Fiber as other companies are also laying their fiber, though certainly Google Fiber's catchment is larger than those smaller companies.

Those 71 incidents in the report — available from WPLN, which first reported the story — are only through early October and do not include at least 12 incidents, including the double-whammy hit of a main on Clifton Street in North Nashville, which was so significant Metro Water had to call in a contractor rather than do the work with its own crews, and because that contractor was paid by the company responsible directly, is not included in the report.

The report is organized by council district and shows that the Green Hills area, downtown, Germantown and Salemtown, West Nashville, The Nations, Sylvan Park and Belle Meade have had the most damage.

The state's One Call law requires contractors to reimburse the city for damage, but so far, Metro has been paid back only $24,588, though that is due, at least in part, due an accountant who quit Metro Water Services, leading to a backlog, according to The Tennessean.

The report does not include damage to private property or constructive damages to businesses. For example, beloved meat-and-three Swett's says it has lost more than 70 percent of its business since work began at Clifton and 28th Avenue.

Meanwhile, the state board that can levy fines to contractors — the Tennessee Underground Utility Damage Enforcement Board — is a new entity and just started taking complaints October 1.

If the underground utilities were properly marked, the first violation sends the contractor to compliance training. The second violation could result a $2,500 fine. Gross negligence or willful misconduct could result in training and a $5,000 fine.

Image via Wikimedia user Shutinc, used under Creative Commons