Officials in Oak Park Heights have declared a state of emergency as crews work to repair a municipal water main break between Lookout Trail and Peacan Avenue.
The break has caused underground water loss and excessive pumping of water from the city’s wells, with water losses appearing to be in excess of tens of thousands of gallons per day, city officials said, leading to the risk of underground erosion and loss of water service to residents if the condition worsens.
The repair, which is expected to cost $175,000, is complicated because the water main traverses between private properties and the topography is challenging, said City Administrator Jacob Rife. The water main is buried more than 20 feet deep in one area, requiring a larger excavation pit than normal, he said.
Making the repair even more complicated is the fact that excavators encountered large pieces of concrete and rebar construction debris – believed to be part of an old, demolished highway project — buried in the area, he said. In addition, there is a private garage directly adjacent to the dig site that complicated the excavation, he said.
Because of the challenges, city officials have decided to use a more-expensive “cured-in-place” polymer pipe liner to ensure the section is properly repaired, he said. Because there are only a few contractors who do that kind of work, city officials needed to declare a state of emergency to allow the city to move forward with a contract that is not subject to normal purchasing and competitive-bidding requirements, according to Rife.
“We want to make sure it gets fixed promptly and also want to make sure we have a solution that will last for the long term,” Rife said.
The current pipe was constructed in 1976, and “it’s had a good run,” he said. “It’s just in a unique location. You don’t expect a water main to be running in the road right of way and running through people’s back yards.”
The repair project is expected to start April 22 and continue until the end of the month, he said.
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