Hurricane board reviews aging tank repairs and phased replacement for failing transmission main
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Summary
Staff reported a failing 18-inch HDPE transmission line and a state sanitary survey that requires addressing deterioration on the city's oldest tank; staff outlined phased projects, interim repairs and cost estimates and asked for funding to avoid emergency repairs before the September survey.
HURRICANE, Utah — Hurricane City water staff told the Water Board that a primary transmission run of 18-inch HDPE near Sand Hollow Road has experienced recent failures and that the city must prioritize a phased replacement to avoid ongoing emergency repairs.
Corey said the city logged a recent break on the 18-inch HDPE transmission line and is tracking parts shortages and difficulty in performing large-diameter repairs. “This is our main transmission line right this minute... 5,600 feet of 18 inch pipe, HDP pipe that's failing out there,” he said, describing the run that feeds the Sand Hollow tank.
Staff proposed phasing the work and replacing the problematic HDPE with a 14-inch ductile iron line for the first phase to restore reliable transmission while managing costs and construction complexity. The proposal is included in the department’s budget planning and would be advanced if funding becomes available.
Separately, staff reviewed the city’s oldest tank (built in the late 1970s), where state inspectors noted exposed post-tension cables and sun-related deterioration. An initial resurfacing estimate included in the packet was roughly $216,000 for a trowel-applied epoxy repair; staff said vendors offered alternatives with shorter and longer expected lifespans, and some vendors provided warranties for the work.
Corey warned that losing the tank’s structure would trigger a far larger replacement bill ("it's gonna be a $3,000,000 bill to do it") and said the city has a state sanitary inspection scheduled for September. The board discussed prioritizing troubled areas and phasing projects to reduce emergency-response risk.
Why it matters: The transmission line and tank feed major parts of Hurricane's system; repeated failures force emergency repairs and risk service interruptions. Fixing the tank and replacing the most failure-prone transmission stretches are budgetary and operational priorities ahead of the state sanitary survey.
What’s next: Staff will continue refining phased scopes and cost estimates and look for funding to avoid emergency repairs; board members emphasized advancing the tank repairs ahead of the state survey.