Construction soon will begin for a water extension project necessary to alleviate potential problems the newly built Barsema Hall may bring.

The extension project will maintain safety and stability in terms of water flow around buildings on Garden Road near Barsema Hall.

City Manager Jim Connors said the project should rid the area of any potentially irritating problems a new building such as Barsema Hall may carry.

“This water main will provide a redundancy should the main water main break,” Connors said. “This is important not only for Barsema, but for surrounding buildings such as the Engineering Building.

Assistant City Engineer Joel Maurer explained the project in further detail.

“A missing section near Northern Lane on Garden Road to Hillcrest Drive is where the water main loop will be completed,” Maurer said. “We plan to install it on the west side of Garden Road.”

Connors said the city was authorized to carry out the project with an approved bid of $122,461 necessary for the project. The money will be taken from the city’s capital water revenue.

“Public works anticipated the need to install another water main,” Connors said. “Should a fire occur, one water main around this whole area wouldn’t be sufficient. Not to mention this simply allows for better water flow in the case of sinks in bathrooms and kitchens.”

Connors stressed that this project should be of interest to students because of its impact on Barsema Hall and the Engineering Building.

Maurer said the project is expected to be completed in December. The project will begin within the next couple of weeks.