There have been some “growing pains” as the ongoing Great Bend city water line replacement project continues, Interim City Administrator George Kolb told the City Council Monday night.

The new poly-vinyl chloride pipes are replacing copper and cast-iron pipes, some dating back several decades. There have been several leaks caught by city officials and the project contractor, and those have been repaired.

But, Kolb said, the new pipes are now causing an increase in water pressure system-wide. Consequently, “other lines (outside the project area) are starting to leak.”

Most of the leaks are being spotted, but those in other parts of town are not as easy to locate, he said. “Water will find a hole.”

So, he asked residents who come across a leak to report it to the city using the “report a concern” feature on the city’s website, greatbendks.net. The button is on the right-hand side of the homepage.

The contractor for the $6.5 million project is APAC out of Hutchinson and, under the contract, the firm has until next March to finish. But, officials said work will likely wrap up by late this fall or early this winter.

The work involves the replacement of 40,000 linear feet of waterlines that are four-to-six-inch cast iron pipes dating back about 60 years. Most of this is in the downtown or central part of the city.