City declares emergency water main maintenance to expedite repair process

This action waives public bidding law requirements, allowing Engineering & Public Works to solicit and approve quotes for the repair immediately.

On Dec. 10, the Water Utility was informed of a major water main break on the 20-inch transmission line, which feeds the city’s main water reservoir. The water main is located under the BNSF railroad tracks on the east end of the 2600 block of State Street.

Emergency crews isolated the break and restored water to the surrounding neighborhood homes in the early hours of Dec. 11; however, this is only a temporary fix. The Water Utility will be required to replace and reconnect the 20-inch transmission line as it is one of two water mains that supplies water to the city’s main reservoir.

Without this functioning water main, there is only one transmission line to the reservoir, leaving the city with no back up.

The residents who were affected by the break have already received communication from the city. Those who sustained any property damage should make a claim with their insurance company and call the city’s legal department.

Caleb Wodarz, engineer for the city, said the legal department has been in contact with two residents about claims, and Wodarz is working with the department on the claims.

It is unclear what exactly caused the break in the water main, but Wodarz said that the railroad movement above could have contributed.

In 2016, when BNSF added a second track, part of those plans included extending the steel casing pipe which helps protect the water main as well as transfer water flows. However, according to Wodarz, a final review of the construction shows that BNSF never extended the casing pipe.

“I think with the new track that they put in, some of the differential movements between the mass and the weight all those rails pounding all the time is probably a realistic reason for why this happened,” Wodarz said. “Not saying that was the only thing, but considering that the pipe had been there for over 100 years and we hadn’t had any issues. It’s not a place where we do a lot of digging and there is no real activity around other than the trains on top.”

Now that the emergency maintenance has been declared, the Engineering & Public Works department can solicit bids. Wodarz expects construction to begin mid- to late-January and anticipates it won’t take more than a week to repair once crew, materials and plans are lined up.