Council authorizes emergency repairs and condition assessment after breaks in raw water main

The Midland City Council on Sept. 22 authorized emergency repairs and the use of surplus encumbered funds to address recent breaks on a 36‑inch raw water main shared with Saginaw.

Utilities staff reported three breaks in the raw water supply pipeline in August and early September, including a major break on Aug. 4. Contractors completed immediate repairs with a contractor invoice of $136,547.67 to American Excavating LTD for excavation, pipe replacement and road rebuilding; staff said aggregate repair costs to date are roughly $400,000. The presentation attributed the failures to corrosion of the pipe’s thin internal steel cylinder and tensioning wires and identified a failed, corroded valve that needed replacement.

Staff recommended and council approved using surplus encumbered funds from under‑budget water fund capital projects to cover parts, repairs and remediation. Utilities staff also proposed a comprehensive condition assessment of the Saginaw‑Midland supply lines — including nondestructive EM testing, insertion of robotic cameras through manholes, and pressure monitoring — to identify thin points and wire breaks before further failures occur. Staff estimated a previous similar inspection (10 miles) cost about $700,000; a full replacement of a comparable 48‑inch line had been estimated several years ago in the low hundreds of millions.

Council approved the emergency contract waiver and payment and the related budget authorization by voice vote (4‑0). Staff said they will coordinate cost‑sharing with Saginaw and the Saginaw‑Midland water supply corporation for the condition assessment and will return with detailed cost breakdowns.