TUESDAY, June 2, 2026 |
Photo – Rawlins’ water tank above hospital – Bigfoot99 file photo
Rawlins officials are seeking a State Lands and Investments Board grant to pay for a water infrastructure project.
On Wednesday, May 27th, the Rawlins City Council held a special meeting to approve the submission of a mineral royalty grant to the State Lands and Investments Board. Councilman Steve Sanger introduced the motion to request $1.5 million to pay for a pressure booster station at the intersection of Date and 9th Streets.
Funded with state mineral royalty revenues, the MRG program helps local governments pay for critical public‑service needs, including emergency vehicle purchases and water and sewer infrastructure projects.
The grant request stems from an incident that occurred in late April and early May, where multiple breaks were discovered on the high‑pressure line serving the Hospital and Painted Hills storage tanks. The two tanks provide treated drinking water to roughly half the city. After repairs were completed, Public Works Director Cody Dill reported that 1.55 million gallons of treated water were lost during the weeklong incident, with repair costs totaling between $35,000 and $40,000.
During the May 19th Rawlins City Council meeting, Sunrise Engineer CJ Walker explained that if the high‑pressure line fails, there is no way to maintain water service to higher-elevation areas of the city, a point underscored by last month’s incident. In those circumstances, Walker said residents must depend on the water already stored in the Hospital and Painted Hills tanks while crews repair the line.
Walker recommended installing a pressure‑booster pump station at the intersection of Date and 9th Streets, where the city’s high‑pressure line meets the low‑pressure system. He said a pump at that location would allow crews to reroute the low‑level flow into the high‑pressure system when needed.
Walker said that as the high‑pressure line continues to deteriorate, the city will experience more and more failures. With the booster station in place, he said crews can take the line out of service long enough to complete long‑term repair work.
To install the pressure‑booster station, a portion of Date Street would need to shift to one‑way traffic, and the sidewalk would be extended into the roadway to create space for the pump. Walker said the station is expected to occupy roughly a ten‑by‑ten‑foot section of the sidewalk. The city can either build a small structure or install a cage to protect the station from vandalism, with the final design depending on how much the city is willing to spend. The governing body voted to have Sunrise Engineering design the booster station.
Back at the May 27th special meeting, City Manager Matt Hall explained that the mineral royalty grant application is for $750,000 with the city providing a 50 percent match. Hall added that the State Lands and Investments Board is expected to consider the city’s application during its June 18th meeting.
Hall said the city’s grant match will come from a combination of general fund reserves and a loan to the water enterprise fund. The City Council voted to approve the $1.5 million MRG application.
