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Arden Hills asks $563,000 to replace aging 65-year force main serving universities and homes
Summary
Arden Hills told lawmakers it needs $563,000 to replace a 65-year-old sanitary sewer force main that serves Bethel University and about 640 homes; the city said acidic clay soils and past breaks make replacement urgent and noted timing with a county road project raises urgency.
The City of Arden Hills requested $563,000 in state bonding for a sanitary sewer force-main replacement during testimony to the House Capital Investment Committee on March 11.
Mayor David Grant and city representatives said the 65-year-old, 10-inch cast-iron force main is showing deterioration from clay soils and acidic conditions and has experienced two breaks in the past five years. "Over the past 5 years we've had 2 breaks," Grant said. The pipe serves 640 residential homes and several schools, including Bethel University, officials said.
Why it matters: The city told the committee the force main represents about 18% of its annual budget and that 30% of Arden Hills property value is tax-exempt, which constrains the local tax base. Grant said Ramsey County plans to replace County Road E in 2026 and that completing the force-main work before the county road construction will avoid ripping up a newly rebuilt county road and reduce the risk that heavy construction vibrations cause a collapse.
Phasing: City officials said phasing the project would be difficult because the scope effectively requires constructing a continuous line; doing it later would likely raise costs and risk.
Ending: The committee asked about coordination with Ramsey County; Mayor Grant said the city is working with the county to align timing so the force main replacement can be combined with the county road project.
