What is the road construction project that has Fruit Valley Road torn up at Northeast 78th Street? It hasn’t been listed in the Monday Columbian now for a couple of weeks.

— Nancy Nagle, Felida

First of all, a gold star to Nancy for checking the Monday “This Week’s Road Work” column in her local newspaper!

But then we’ve got to snatch the star back again — because this project has indeed been listed. It’s right at the top of the column: “N.W. Fruit Valley Road near 78th Street.”

Actually, this road construction project is no road construction project. What’s going on here is the installation of a water line by Clark Public Utilities.

The underground pipe will connect CPU’s water system, which serves Hazel Dell, Salmon Creek and points north, with a new well field now being developed in the Vancouver Lake Lowlands. To make that happen, the utility has to bury pipe in city of Vancouver land.

“It is a little unusual,” said Mick Shutt, CPU spokesman. “We don’t typically build water facilities in another jurisdiction’s service territory.”

Most of CPU’s wells are in the Salmon Creek area. The so-called South Lake Well Field, which should come online this summer, will be the biggest new source of water in more than half a century for the utility. It’s expected to pump 10 million gallons per day — and perhaps much more, eventually — without affecting the mighty Columbia River nearby.

Shutt said the roadway work and disruption at the north end of Fruit Valley Road should be all over by the end of this month.

— Scott Hewitt

Got a question about your neighborhood? We’ll get it answered. Send “What’s up with that?” questions to neighbors@columbian.com.

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