Public Works Director Cody Dill told the Rawlins City Council on Jan. 7 that the city has experienced roughly 20 water-line breaks this season and described a recent major failure that released about 1,800,000 gallons of water.

Dill said the largest recent break was a spiral fracture on a 12-inch line that links the hospital tank to the Painted Hills tank. "We think that there was a flaw in the original tap and eventually that pipeline can fluctuate from anywhere from 120 to 140 PSI," Dill said. He described an approximately 8-foot crack with an inch-wide opening and said crews worked through the night and into the following afternoon to restore service.

The report explained why the repair was difficult. Dill said only certain valves could isolate the two tanks and that one valve was under Washington Park and had not been operated in years. "It took our guys with metal detectors in the middle of the night a little while to figure out where it was at and dig it up and get that shut down," he said. Rocky Mountain Power also had to de-energize a nearby pole before crews could safely excavate, delaying repairs until about 6 a.m.

City staff said most of the town was back on by around midnight or 2 a.m., with apartments and the senior center remaining out of service until repairs were finished. Dill said crews worked from about 9:30 p.m. the night the break occurred until about 4 p.m. the next day.

Council members asked about longer-term conditions and the city's water supply. Dill characterized portions of the distribution system as reaching the end of their useful life and said some locations have been repaired multiple times. When asked about snowpack and reservoir conditions, a councilmember noted the city maintains roughly a two-year supply under normal conditions and recommended monitoring and coordination with the state on measures such as cloud seeding if needed.

The update was presented during the City Manager's staff reports; council did not take formal action on the report. The manager also noted upcoming agenda items including a city fee review and an audit review to be scheduled for a later meeting.