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Lewiston to cap aging metal water line after large leak; city to solicit bids for repair
Summary
A golf-ball-sized leak in an old metal water line prompted the mayor and public works staff to decide to cap the line where it connects to the business-park service and solicit bids to prevent future catastrophic failures.
Lewiston — City leaders announced during the June 17 council meeting that an aging metal water line that developed a large leak will be capped and that the city will solicit bids for permanent repair work.
The mayor reported that crews found a golf-ball-sized break in an old metal service line near Kingsford’s Corner; a smaller adjacent hole also was found. The line, which staff said appears to be several decades old, failed with enough force to blow out a driveway. City staff and the municipal engineer decided to cap the metal line where it ties into the feed serving the business park (the point where Griffin Lehi hooks into the line) to reduce immediate liability and risk. The city said it will solicit bids from contractors and move quickly to complete the capping and related repairs.
Officials said the city still has adequate water supply through a 10-inch PVC pipeline that runs parallel to the older line and through a new well that is already installed, so residents will not face an immediate supply shortage. City staff said the capped metal line prevents a catastrophic failure under the state road or railroad but that the road surface and full repaving will not be completed before July 4.
No formal council vote was recorded on the decision during the June 17 meeting; staff described the action as an operational decision made by public works, the engineer and the mayor to mitigate imminent risk and to prepare a bid package for contractors.
