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Water department outlines urgent Mill Creek reservoir repairs and mainline replacement priorities amid proposed rate changes
Summary
City water staff told the council that Mill Creek Reservoir and several other storage facilities need major work, described a program of mainline and service-line replacements, and proposed rate changes to fund capital work.
City water staff presented the Water Department's capital priorities and a proposed rate increase during the June 24 council meeting, highlighting an urgent need to replace Mill Creek Reservoir and continue mainline replacements across the distribution system.
Craig Christiansen, who presented the water item, explained the city has roughly 11,139 service connections, more than 180 miles of mains, 15 reservoirs and booster stations, and several aging assets that require multi-year replacement planning. He said Mill Creek Reservoir is the top priority: it is a hopper-bottom concrete reservoir built about 100 years ago with recurring repairs and visible cracking and rebar exposure. Christiansen described a proposed phased approach: construct a new reservoir, bring it online, then remove the old structure and replace the next reservoir and booster station on the site.
Why it matters: Mill Creek is a critical node for moving water to different parts of the city. Christiansen noted that mainline replacement costs have increased, brass fittings and pipe costs have risen, and regulatory drivers (lead-and-copper service-line replacements) require whole-service-line removals rather than piecemeal repairs.
Council questions focused on project sequencing and water-quality implications of the reservoir degradation. Christiansen said the corrosion and rebar exposure in the top pylons is primarily a structural concern; staff use standard disinfection and chlorine procedures where needed and do not expect water-quality impacts from the visible cracking, but the reservoir will be replaced to ensure long-term structural and operational integrity.
Next steps: Staff intends to sequence Mill Creek first, followed by Barton Creek and Ashdown reservoirs in later years, and to continue annual pipeline replacement cycles (approximately 3.5 miles per year combining in-house and contractor work). Funding for these projects is included in the FY2026 budget the council adopted at the meeting; staff will return with design and procurement plans as projects move into the capital phase.
