JANUARY 14, 2025|
Photo – Sign – Courtesy City of Rawlins
The Rawlins public works director addressed a recent water main break to the city council during January 7th City Council meeting.
Because, for decades of no maintenance, or as politicians call it, “deferred maintenance,” the water lines in Rawlins now require millions of dollars in repairs. The pipes are long past their operational lifespan and water main breaks have become a common occurrence.
Public Works Director Cody Dill provided the newly-formed governing body with a report on breaks in the city’s water lines. Dill reminded the council about the incident that occurred in the beginning of September, where a failed pressure reducing valve caused six separate water main breaks along North Higley Boulevard.
Since that time, Dill said the city has experienced around 20 separate pipe ruptures. The public works director pointed out that having so many breaks at this time of year is unusual.
Dill explained that the breaks have occurred across nearly every type of water line in the city. The public works director said the frequency of the ruptures exposes the urgent need for repairs to the water infrastructure.
On December 21st, a 12-inch pipe burst around Gallup Place and 15th Street on the west side of the city. Public Works Director Dill mentioned that the pipe connects two of the city’s treated water storage tanks. Dill also noted that unlike the Labor Day break, December’s rupture occurred in a highly visible area.
Dill explained that the one-inch by eight-foot-long break occurred on a connection installed during the construction of the now-abandoned Pink Motel. The public works director mentioned that he believes changing water pressure over the decades caused the connection to fail.
Dill mentioned that the break’s location made it challenging to repair, as the single valve needed to shut off the water flow was hard to find. Thanks to the efforts of Water & Wastewater Superintendent Bud Dimick and the city’s utilities crew, the valve was eventually located.
Dill said the city lost approximately 1.8 million gallons of water during the December 21st break.
The public works director explained that repairs were delayed while city crews waited for representatives from Rocky Mountain Power to arrive on scene.
Dill said utility crews spent roughly 19 hours working on the break. The public works director assured residents that his department is doing everything it can to keep water flowing to their homes.
Since the January 7th council meeting, the city has experienced at least one more major water main break. Around 10:30 a.m. on January 8th, another rupture occurred near the Glenn Addition on the city’s south side. The line was repaired roughly four hours later.
These incidents underscore the urgency of addressing the city’s aging water infrastructure. Last year, a Wyoming Water Development Commission funded study found that the city needs approximately $27 million to make its water system fully functional once again.
In November, the Wyoming Water Development Commission awarded the city a $2.8 million grant to begin work on the 30 miles of transmission line running from the Sage Creek Springs to the water treatment plant. Some sections of the pipeline are over 100 years old.
The grant will help pay for needed improvements to the water lines running into the city. To address in-town issues, city officials have voted to significantly raise water rates over the past few years. State law mandates that the water enterprise fund bring in enough money through fees to cover all expenses, including repairs.
However, previous city councils failed to keep up with inflation, leading to the depletion of the water enterprise fund. The increased rates are necessary to ensure the fund’s sustainability and pay for long overdue repairs.
Utility crews will keep repairing the inevitable water main breaks while city officials work to secure funding for long-term solutions.
