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La Porte presents $15 million plan to upgrade 39 North water main and add tanks
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Summary
City water staff and NICE Engineering reported on the 39 North water-main, booster and elevated-tank project funded with State Revolving Fund financing, saying design is on schedule, bidding is slated for late summer and construction is targeted for completion in 2027; officials estimated the project cost has increased from about $10 million to roughly $15 million.
City water staff and consultants told the La Porte Common Council on April 20 that the 39 North water project—planned as about a mile of new 12-inch main plus two elevated tanks and a booster station—remains on track for bidding this summer and construction completion in 2027.
Tim Warner of the City of La Porte water department and Howard Jones of NICE Engineering described the project’s purpose as improving flow and fire protection for the 39 North area. Jones said the existing system is a single, dead-end 12-inch main with limits for pumping and duration of fire flow. The planned work will bring a 12-inch feed from Thomas Rose, add an elevated tank at the north end, and install a booster station to improve pressure and duration.
Jones told the council design is progressing, land parcels have been acquired at the north end and additional land acquisitions for the south end are underway; bidding is expected toward the end of summer. The project is funded with State Revolving Loan (SRF) funds and the city’s work with the Indiana Finance Authority (IFA). “We’re still on schedule for [construction completion in] 2027,” Jones said.
Warner said the project’s price tag has risen as costs have increased since initial discussions: “This was a $10,000,000 upgrade…we’re approaching the $15,000,000 mark now for this project,” and added the booster station alone will substantially increase available fire flows for the area. Officials said some elevated-tank components will be built off-site and shipped in, so on-site activity will emphasize foundations and water-main installation.
Council members asked about short-term impacts on a nearby senior-living facility; Warner said the water department addressed a recent in-building issue and stressed that the booster station will nearly double available fire flow once operational. The project will also include replacement of older service lines in the city’s historic core, including lead-line removal where required by forthcoming EPA and state guidance.
Staff flagged SRF program requirements such as archeological surveys and noted these compliance steps can prolong timelines but yield lower financing costs.
The council received the update; staff said they will return with more detailed scheduling and bid documents as the project proceeds.
