Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Water Infrastructure topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Rawlins council declares emergency to repair Sage Creek Springs transmission line, authorizes immediate work and funding
Summary
The Rawlins City Council on Oct. 5 approved an emergency resolution to begin Phase 1 repairs on the Sage Creek Springs transmission line, authorizing funds that draw on ARPA transfers and other sources and directing crews to prioritize a roughly 10,000-foot wooden main for replacement.
The Rawlins City Council voted unanimously Oct. 5 to declare an emergency and authorize immediate repairs to Phase 1 of the Sage Creek Springs transmission line, directing staff to begin work and to use a package of funding that includes American Rescue Plan Act transfers.
Council Vice Mayor Wells moved to approve the emergency resolution, which the finance director said authorizes the city to proceed with repairs now and ties together previously discussed funding allocations. The council’s vote came after a presentation and questions from council members about scope, timeline and costs.
The finance director explained the emergency declaration is designed to allow crews to make repairs promptly without waiting for additional procurement steps. The council was told the authorization relates to a previously discussed $1,550,000 funding package and a recent $800,000 transfer toward Phase 1; grants and other transfers are expected to cover later phases, the finance director said.
A contractor representative, Mark, described the most urgent segment as “a yellow line that’s about 10,000 feet long” that is currently wooden and tapped to springs that supply roughly a quarter of the area’s collection. He said the plan is to replace and upsize portions of the line and convert critical sections to plastic; “it’s 12 inches in diameter, and probably in 3 months, it’ll be plastic,” Mark said. Council members asked whether partial repairs could be completed to get the system through the winter; the contractor said crews are aiming to do that work and will take “baby steps” starting with exercising and, where necessary, replacing buried valves and repairing exposed sections.
Councilman Martinez urged staff to notify the council promptly if grant applications fail so alternate funding can be pursued. The finance director told the council the city expects grant funding to apply to Phase 2 and short-term fixes while the Phase 1 authorization covers immediate needs.
The council approved the emergency resolution by online vote. The action allows staff to proceed with contracting and repairs to stabilize the transmission line and protect the water system while the city pursues remaining grant funding and longer-term construction.
Next steps: staff said crews will begin targeted repairs and valve work immediately and will report back to the council on costs and grant outcomes.
