Supervisors approve assessment schedule for DD 80 branch D; city and contractor to excavate suspected water-main leak near new tile

The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors held a public hearing on improvements to Drainage District 80, branch D (DD 80 branch D) and approved a new, project-specific assessment schedule to pay for the work. During the same meeting county and city staff described a suspected leak in a water main located at or immediately adjacent to the area of the new drainage tile; the board authorized steps to locate and repair the leak and to designate county engineering representation for the issue.

At the hearing the county engineer summarized the DD 80 branch D improvement. The project replaced older 12- and 10-inch tile with larger pipe (30-inch in portions, dropping to 24-inch in others), extended the mainline near the elementary school and ball field, and included road restoration. The final construction bill came in a little under $136,000, the engineer said, and he estimated the final project cost and interest to be roughly $205,000 (lower than an earlier $270,000 estimate). The project required a reclassification so the work would be assessed fairly among affected parcels, and the engineer described the formulaic factors used (parcel area, distance to new facility, impervious surface/runoff, and a ponding factor applied to school ball field and a city intersection).

After a period for questions and no written objections, the board voted to approve the use of the new assessment schedule for this improvement only; the schedule will revert to the district’s standard assessment schedule for any future maintenance or additional projects. The board’s action will allow the county to proceed with levying assessments against benefited parcels later in 2025.

During discussion on a related agenda item, city staff reported an unexplained increase in water pumped from the municipal system beginning in late November; a water-loss analysis showed roughly 300,000 gallons lost in a month. The city’s leak-detection contractor used correlators to pinpoint a suspected leak to within a few feet at a location described as “right on the edge” of the new DD 80 pavement cut and the new tile alignment. Because the suspected leak lies within the area of recent work, city and county staff said the repair may be eligible for a warranty claim against the construction contractor (Doyle Construction), which performed the tile installation.

County and city staff said Doyle Construction agreed to excavate and inspect the line; if the leak is covered under the project warranty the contractor will repair it as a warranty item. If not, the city indicated it will pay for necessary repairs. Staff said they will make field inspections and take photographs and asked that an engineer from the county be present when the line is opened to document conditions for any warranty or claims process. The board authorized county engineering representation (Jacob Westergaard named in the meeting) to be present and to coordinate documentation and next steps.

Why this matters: The drainage project was intended to address flooding complaints near Dakota City school property and Main Street; completion and the subsequent assessment determine who will pay for construction costs. The potential water-main leak could create additional cost and disruption for the city and county, and determining whether the repair is a warranty claim affects who bears the cost.

Ending: Supervisors approved the one-time assessment schedule for the DD 80 branch D improvement and authorized county engineer representation while Doyle Construction excavates to locate and repair the leak. Staff will return with assessment figures for levy and will report findings and any warranty determination after the excavation.