Aurora to line 36-inch transmission main after holiday leak; city to issue emergency work order
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Summary
City staff told the Aurora City Council that a leak inside a 36-inch transmission main under a railroad casing is being addressed with a pipe-lining approach priced at about $500,000 and emergency excavation by Miller Pipelining; staff plans to issue a purchase order to begin liner fabrication and return to council for contracts in roughly two weeks.
The Aurora Department of Public Works reported on Jan. 13 that a leak discovered over the holidays in a 36‑inch southeast transmission main will be repaired by lining the pipe rather than a full replacement.
Jason Bauer, of the Department of Public Works, told the City Council the transmission main carries roughly 55% of the water leaving the treatment plant and is leaking inside a protective casing beneath a railroad track. "So the lining will be about $500,000," Bauer said, adding the city will also use an emergency repair contractor, Miller Pipelining, for excavation and reconnection work that could add $100,000–$300,000 depending on scope.
The lining vendor requires an initial purchase order for manufacturing; Bauer said staff plans to issue a PO not to exceed $50,000 to start the liner and expects manufacture and delivery in about three to four weeks. While the lining is prepared, city crews and Miller Pipelining would clear access, excavate to the casing, and secure the site so the liner contractor can clean and install the liner when it arrives.
Council members pressed staff on potential causes and downstream impacts. Alderman Franco asked whether railroad traffic could have caused the leak and whether the railroad might share financial responsibility; Bauer replied the line is on city easement and that, "we take all the responsibility for it," noting the casing was installed to protect the railroad crossings. Questions also covered how the system would be bypassed during the outage; Bauer said operators would close and open valves to reroute flow through existing interconnects and that the timing — occurring during a low-demand season — reduced risk to customers.
Bauer told the council staff contacted multiple lining vendors; only two provided reliable bids for a pipe of this diameter. He said staff will return to council in about two weeks with contract documents and requested authority to expedite procurement to avoid bidding delays. Bauer acknowledged uncertainty about the exact size of the leak and said crews are watching plant meters while preparing the repair.
The Council did not take a formal vote on the repair method at the meeting; Bauer said staff plans to bring contract documents back for approval once they finalize the scope and vendor pricing.
