Letter: Fed Up With Main Street Pipeline Replacement

The work began more than a month ago with very little communication to the residents. I received a flyer from our property management company Forbes Property Management that stated construction would begin and remain in front of our building for a few days and then move down toward Santa Cruz Avenue.

After several nights of non-stop drilling in front of the building, I called our property management company and asked if we could get a schedule of when the work would be going on in front of the building.

A Forbes' representative said she was given very little information and no real schedule, what they got they communicated to 14 W. Main tenants. She said she would have their facilities manager inquire about the schedule going forward. I have never received any new information.

I have attempted calling the Los Gatos Parks and Public Works number, only to receive information to leave a message and since the hours are 8 a.m.-1 p.m., I often miss the window to speak with someone because I’m working.

The tenants at 14 W. Main have been experiencing incredible noise for several weeks (from 9 p.m.-6 a.m.) and we’ve been pretty patient but Thursday morning was a turning point. We received communication in the form of a door hanger  from San Jose Water Company in our lobby yesterday, maybe it was there Tuesday but that’s the soonest, it stated, “Your water service is scheduled to be shut off: Date 6/20/12 to 6/21/12, from 10 p.m.-5 a.m.

My alarm goes off at 5 a.m. Monday-Friday. I leave my apartment at 6  a.m. to drive to Oakland for my job. There was no water at 5 a.m. I texted the Forbes' representative at 5:20 a.m., I then called the vendor listed on the door hanger, Sanco Pipelines and they said they’d get someone on it. The next call was to San Jose Water, they took my name. An hour goes by I call Sanko again at 6:45 a.m. and the answer was the water will not be back on for another hour.

My frustration with this project is indescribable. I’m all for repairs and capital improvements to our town but the way the town has managed the communication of this project to the affected residents is pathetic.

I question the stability of our town planning for disaster and other catastrophe, if the staff cannot even provide a logical, planned schedule of daily events/progress/movement/location of a pipeline project.

I would like the engineering staff or whoever may be responsible for this project to provide the following information to all residential tenants and commercial business on Main Street weekly for the duration of this pipeline project.

1. Schedule of work (days, start times, finish times)
2. Type of work (drilling, paving etc.)
3. Location of work ( intersection, closest address)
4. Noise decibels range  exposure for the work being done
5. Scheduled interruptions in service like water for the duration of the project

I believe this is the basic information that should have been provided at the beginning of the project that would allow individuals and businesses to employ contingent plans/arrangements so that our sleep, responsibilities to our employers, family and simple hygiene could be adjusted accordingly.

I look forward to this information sooner than later.

—By Carrie Castro