With the approval of a water main extension in Coupeville, some Madrona Way residents are asking when the leaky water main supplying their homes will be fixed.

That spurred some verbal fireworks that took place at Tuesday’s Coupeville Town Council meeting.

The town council approved a $186,000 contract with Lee Johnson and Sons Construction, Inc. to connect existing water lines at Oakmont, Vine and Sherman roads via Black Road.

Coupeville resident David Medley wanted to know why the water system is expanding at a time when the pipes on his road need repairs.

“You have four blocks where people have substandard sewer and water systems,” Medley said. “You’re still not taking care of the customers on Madrona Way.”

He said the town has been talking about fixing the faulty line for 11 years but that talk hasn’t translated into a solution.

“It’s not an answer, it’s been lip service for 11 damn years,” Medley charged.

Mayor Nancy Conard said the water main extension will create a loop from Sherman Road which will help residents living on Madrona Way. She added water currently flows in one direction starting near the intersection of Broadway and Coveland and service would be disrupted if anything happened to the water main in the area.

Conard said new residents would connect to the new water main when new homes are built.

“The primary purpose is to create this loop,” Conard said.

She didn’t know details about the Medley’s concerns and said will meet with staff to learn more.

She added the Madrona Way water main is scheduled for replacement. That could happen next year depending on how other projects affect staff time.

The town council unanimously approved the water main contract.

Conard said the town received four bids on the project and the accepted bid was less than the $208,000 the town had budgeted for the project. She said the town sent the project out to bid early to ensure competitive bids. The bid by Lee Johnson and Sons was the lowest one the town received.