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Utility staff update board on downtown excavation and 36‑inch main repair; schedule uncertain until pipe inspection
Summary
Staff reported progress on downtown excavation and work to repair a leaking joint on a 36‑inch pressure concrete water main discovered during digging; the hole is roughly 18 feet deep toward a 32–34 foot target, and staff said they will know more about repair needs once they reach the pipe.
Utility staff updated the board on Sept. 2 about the downtown excavation and an associated water‑main repair that surfaced during construction.
Staff said crews completed a repair on a leaking joint of a 36‑inch pressure concrete main and that the work to date should allow digging to continue. The excavation is currently about 18 feet deep across the footprint of the shoring; staff said the next level will reach approximately 22–25 feet, where additional rangers and walers will be installed, and final subgrade work will extend to a depth the presenter said could be 32 to 34 feet depending on subsurface conditions.
The presenter cautioned the schedule remains uncertain until crews reach the pipe and evaluate conditions. A drone inspection of a diversion structure found the pipe “fully full of rock,” but staff said the pipe did not appear to be packed in a way that would prevent tying into it as planned. Staff declined to provide a percentage complete for the overall project other than noting they were “about 50% to the bottom” of current excavation and that contingency plans exist for different repair approaches.
Board members asked about proximity to nearby businesses and whether the site had disturbed the Michaels property; staff said only a small section around the sign was affected and that tie‑ins to the new force main were made. Staff offered to arrange site tours for interested board members.
No formal action was required or taken on the update; it was presented as an informational briefing.
