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January 2, 2019
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VOL. 120, NO. 1
Time for new pipes Replacement of old cast-iron pipes begins this month By CARMEN RODGERS Staff Writer
Residents of East Tallassee will see just under one linear mile of leaky cast-iron gas pipes replaced beginning this month, Mayor Johnny Hammock said. The plan is to eventually replace all of the city’s cast-iron pipes with more modern, efficient pipes. The first phase of the replacement will run adjacent to Notasulga Road from Hilltop Grocery to Britt Veterinary Services in the Carrville area of the city. “We are losing thousands of dollars through those pipes, specifically in the carrying system,” Hammock said. “That is the area with the most leaks.” According to Hammock, the city owns and operates roughly 30 miles of cast-iron pipes which carry natural gas to residents. However, much of that gas never makes it into homes because it escapes through cracks in the eroded pipe. “Eventually, I want all the cast-iron pipes removed and replaced with plastic,” Hammock said. “This is something that may not be finished in my lifetime but at least we can get a start on it.” The initial phase of the cast-iron pipe replacement will cost $200,000, according to Hammock. Cast iron was the preferred pipe material throughout the 19th and 20th centuries and was largely used until the 1980s. Cast iron is an alloy of iron, containing other elements such as carbon and silicon. While it can be more brittle than pure iron, it is extremely durable and can withstand high pressure. The downside of cast-iron pipes is a susceptibility to corrosion and rust, which causes up to 25 percent of pipe failures. There has been a push to replace cast-iron pipes throughout the nation but they continue servicing a large area of the country. Recently, the federal Department of Transportation estimated 30,000 miles of cast-iron pipe still carries gas in the United States, with the highest percentage in older Eastern cities such as New York City, Philadelphia, Boston, Baltimore and Washington, See PIPES • Page A2
Submitted / The Tribune
Gavin Godwin, 14 years old of Tallassee, with the Auburn Composite Squadron of Civil Air Patrol helped lay 10,000 wreaths at Fort Mitchell cemetery on Fort Benning on Dec. 15.
Honoring veterans Tallassee family takes part in Wreaths Across America By CARMEN RODGERS Staff Writer
During National Wreaths Across America Day on Dec. 15, a local teenager helped lay 10,000 wreaths at Fort Mitchell Cemetery on Fort Benning. Gavin Godwin, 14, with the Auburn Composite Squadron of Civil Air Patrol, helped cover veterans’ grave markers with a Christmas wreath.
“It was fun helping with all the wreaths,” Godwin said. While he enjoyed assisting with this honored tradition, Godwin said he will have one lasting memory from the experience. “How beautiful it was seeing the wreaths placed across all the graves,” he said. Observed annually on the third Saturday in December, National Wreaths Across America Day See WREATHS • Page A2
Installation of Tallassee’s new LED lights starting soon By CARMEN RODGERS Staff Writer
Carmen Rodgers / The Tribune
ALDOT upgraded to LED lights on the Fitzpatrick Bridge last year and soon Alabama Power will upgrade streetlights throughout the city with the brighter, more efficient LED lights.
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Street lights in Tallassee will be upgraded to more efficient LED lights beginning this month, Mayor Johnny Hammock said. “That work will begin this month, as soon as this rain moves out,” Hammock said. “Alabama Power is changing them out and the city pays the power company a flat rate for each light in the city, just under $20 per light.” Hammock believes the new lights will be brighter, creating a safer environment for residents during the overnight hours. “I think it will make driving safer at night,” he said. “Sidewalks will be better lit and it will be safer for pedestrians.” Hammock also believes that the new, brighter lights
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