WEDNESDAY, September 30, 2026|
Photo – Crew working on Sage Creek Pipeline – Courtesy City of Rawlins
Rawlins officials approved a $79,000 change order for electrical resistance testing on the Sage Creek Pipeline.
The City of Rawlins obtains most of its drinking water from the Sage Creek Springs to the south. The water is carried to the city’s treatment plant through a 32‑mile transmission line. However, decades of deferred maintenance left the pipeline in poor condition.
A 2023 Wyoming Water Development Office-funded study highlighted the need to repair the Sage Creek transmission line, with work estimated to cost roughly $5.7 million. That same study identified three other high-priority projects, including revitalizing the Sage Creek Springs, addressing the high‑pressure line beneath Interstate 80, and replacing the city’s two deteriorating treated‑water storage tanks.
Last May, the city received a $2.835 million grant from the Wyoming Water Development Commission to replace the blowoff valves and cathodic protection system on the Sage Creek Pipeline. Blowoff valves allow operators to divert water for maintenance, and cathodic protection uses an electrical current to prevent the buried steel pipe from corroding. The city matched the grant, bringing the total allocation to $5.67 million.
In July, the city announced that A-Line Corrosion Services had begun the Sage Creek Transmission Pipeline Cathodic Protection Project.
During the September 15th Rawlins City Council meeting, the governing body was presented with a $79,200 change order for conductivity testing of the pipeline’s cathodic protection system. A change order is a written amendment to an existing contract that modifies the scope of work, contract price, or contract timeline.
Public Works Director Cody Dill explained that new test stations and deep well anodes have been installed on the Sage Creek Pipeline. However, he said additional funding was needed to locate areas of poor electrical conductivity along the transmission line.
High resistance can stem from coating trapped between metal surfaces, corrosion buildup, loose connections, incorrectly installed insulation, poor weld quality, or soil movement. Public Works Director Dill described the method used to test the Sage Creek Pipeline for high electrical resistance.
Councilman Steve Sanger noted that the change order was meant to locate areas of high resistance in the pipeline’s cathodic protection system. He asked if another change order would be required to pay for repairs to any issues discovered during the testing.
Public Works Director Cody Dill said $79,200 is the maximum amount of money needed to cover both testing and repairs to the cathodic protection system. He added that the type of planned testing should prevent the need to excavate large portions of the transmission line.
Councilman Steve Sanger repeated his earlier question about whether the change order was solely for testing or would also cover the cost of addressing any identified issues.
Public Works Director Cody Dill said $79,200 was the contractor’s highest estimate to test the entire cathodic protection system. Dill said he doesn’t expect the project to cost that much.
Dill added that the change order already contains money to fix any high resistance areas discovered during the testing.
Following the discussion, the Rawlins City Council unanimously voted to approve the $79,200 Sage Creek Transmission Pipeline Cathodic Protection Project change order, bringing the total cost to $623,648.63.
The city is also addressing the other high-priority projects identified by the Wyoming Water Development Office. Work is expected to begin next month on the Date Street Booster Station, which will allow crews to divert low‑pressure water into the high‑pressure system when the high-pressure line under Interstate 80 needs work.
