JUNE 25, 2025 |

Photo – Pump installation – Courtesy City of Rawlins

The City of Rawlins has installed new pumps to deliver water from the North Platte River to the golf course and pretreatment plant.

On Monday evening, the City of Rawlins announced on its Facebook page that two water supply pumps on the North Platte River have been successfully replaced. The social media post states that the pumps supply raw river water to the Rochelle Ranch Golf Course and serve as a critical back-up water source during water infrastructure projects.

The announcement comes in response to concerns raised at the January 21st Rawlins City Council meeting, where Public Works Director Cody Dill reported that the two pumps drawing water from the river were failing. Dill said the pumps operated without incident for more than two decades and only recently began to show signs of wear.

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An inspection of the pumps showed that the internal mechanisms were worn beyond repair and needed replacement.

Speaking at the January 21st meeting, Dill said the pumps will be needed when the city begins replacing sections of the 30-mile water transmission line from Sage Creek Springs. The pumps will fill reservoirs with raw water from the North Platte River, which will then be sent to the city’s pretreatment plant to be made safe for drinking.

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The untreated river water is also used to irrigate the Rochelle Ranch Golf Course.

Citing the critical need for the river pumps and the estimated four-and-a-half-month completion timeline, the Rawlins City Council voted to declare an emergency and bypass the standard bidding process. The governing body selected Arvada Pump Company, from Arvada, Colorado, to undertake the project as a cost of $139,448.

A social media post by the City of Rawlins stated that the two river pumps were successfully installed earlier this month.

Public Works Director Cody Dill is quoted as saying, “These pumps will provide water to Rawlins and Sinclair when we need it, especially during upcoming large projects on our water system. They also allow the golf course to be irrigated without using treated water.” Dill added, “By alternating their use annually, we expect each pump to last approximately 16 years, giving the system an overall lifespan of about 30 years before a full replacement is necessary.”

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