Lake Elmo council approves plans to advertise bids for Casa 14 water-main replacement
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Summary
City engineer Nate Stanley told the council the 1960s-era 6-inch line on Casa 14 has suffered seven breaks in six years; council approved Resolution 2026-008 to authorize plans, specs and advertising for bids to replace roughly 1,700 feet and upsize to 12 inches, with an estimated cost of about $940,000 pending bids.
City engineer Nate Stanley asked the Lake Elmo City Council to approve plans and specifications and authorize advertising for bids to replace a deteriorating section of water main on Casa 14 between Lake Elmo Avenue and Layton Avenue. Stanley said the original 6-inch cast-iron pipe dates to the 1960s and has a history of failures: "7 breaks in the last 6 years," five of them in the past three years, he said.
The project would replace approximately 1,700 feet of main and upsize it to a 12-inch line to complete a larger loop and provide capacity for future development. Stanley said the change is intended both to address immediate reliability and to avoid conflict with a planned county roadway project by installing the new main with roughly 8½ feet of cover and trenchless methods where feasible. "We just can't wait anymore," Stanley told council members, citing frequent emergency repairs.
Stanley said staff’s planning-level estimate had been about $850,000 in the CIP but the current estimate is approximately $940,000; final costs will be determined by competitive bids. He asked council to authorize advertising for bids with a proposed bid date of Feb. 19 and a contract-award date of March 3 to allow spring mobilization.
Council members asked technical and budget questions. One member asked whether a 12-inch line would meet needs for several decades; Stanley replied it completes the 12-inch loop and should sustain service for decades. On the cost of recurring repairs, Stanley estimated emergency patch repairs typically run $20,000–$40,000 each and said repeated breaks have cost the city "hundreds of thousands of dollars." He emphasized temporary service lines would maintain service to residences and businesses during construction.
The council voted to approve Resolution 2026-008, directing staff to finalize plans and advertise for bids for the Casa 14 water-main improvements. The motion was made by Speaker 3 and approved by voice vote. The resolution authorizes procurement steps; construction contract award and final pricing remain subject to bid results.
Next steps: staff will publish bidding documents and return with bid openings and a recommended contract award for council consideration.
