Williston approves emergency replacement of 4th Street water main, caps cost at $400,000

Williston city commissioners on June 10 approved an emergency project to replace a failing 12‑inch water main on 4th Street at 2nd Avenue, directing the City Engineer to proceed with construction on a contract capped at $400,000.

City Engineer David Juma told the board the break last week required multiple temporary repairs and that the line — installed on an unknown date and located roughly 14 feet deep in places — had failed at least twice in the past year. "I think I can build it for $400,000.00," Juma said, describing a contractor’s preliminary estimate and the potential to complete work before the July 4 holiday if approved promptly. He said the city’s municipal highway budget has more than $800,000 available.

The commission voted 4–0 to declare the work an emergency necessary to protect public health and safety and authorized the engineer to execute necessary documents for a replacement not to exceed $400,000. The motion was made by Commissioner James Bervig and seconded by Commissioner Victoria Siemieniewski.

Juma said crews had initially made a temporary repair that failed under pressure, and that deeper excavation and a contracted approach (including pipe‑bursting methods discussed with a Bismarck contractor, Basaraba) would likely be needed to provide a permanent fix. He noted one prior break in the past year had flooded a neighboring building’s basement; the most recent break did not cause known property damage beyond the right of way.

Next steps include finalizing contract terms and scheduling work; the commission directed the engineer to proceed with procurement and execution of construction documents. The project will be paid from available municipal highway funds as authorized at the meeting.