WOODS CROSS -- From the time it opened Wednesday night, people streamed through the doors of an open house here to hear about a secondary water pipeline project, which will replace aging pipes and build new pipeline to accommodate growth in Woods Cross and North Salt Lake.

"We're pleased with the response," said Jeff Morgan, of Weber Basin Water Conservancy District, which is building the pipeline.

Work will begin this week on 1500 South, west of I-15 and east of the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad. "We'll meet somewhere in the middle, something like the Golden Spike," Morgan said.

The project will replace approximately three miles of existing water pipeline and add two additional miles of pipeline.

Morgan said the work will continue through October on the existing pipeline, then move onto new pipeline being placed in North Salt Lake, before moving back to finish the existing pipeline.

Most people attending didn't have problems with the project itself, only questions as to how it would affect traffic, since the pipeline will be laid in an open trench.

But Woods Cross resident Dee Thurgood expressed concern with the fact Weber Basin is adding more residential hookups.

The pipeline will increase trunk capacity and pressure for residents, Morgan said. "I think people will be pleasantly surprised with the increase in pressure," he said. But Thurgood noted that with all the new hookups, he's concerned there won't be enough water to take care of the new households. Rather than providing larger pipelines for people to use more water, Thurgood said, "People need to save water. They need to conserve even more."

Morgan said the existing pipeline was built in the mid-1950s, and is reaching the end of its design life. Because there's less agricultural use and more residential and business use, the lines need to be bigger to keep up with development, he said.

mwilliams@davisclipper.com