NOVEMBER 8, 2024|
Photo – Wyoming Water Development Office logo – Bigfoot99 file photo
Two Carbon County municipalities are waiting to hear from the state about water-related funding opportunities.
In March of 2022, the city of Rawlins experienced a catastrophic water service failure. Residents of the city and the neighboring town of Sinclair, which shares the same water supply, were left without water for a week. The disaster occurred after two separate water lines broke, draining the city’s water storage tanks. Additionally, a pump failure at the water treatment plant combined with reduced flows from the Sage Creek Springs, south of Rawlins, crippled the city’s water supply
The water crisis resulted in a seven-day boil water advisory and left 40% of Rawlins residents without access to clean drinking water. Although the situation was dire, it could have been far worse. Former city employees familiar with the incident told Bigfoot99 that the disaster could have easily left the city without potable water for several months.
Nine months later, in December of 2022, the Wyoming Water Development Office hired WWC Engineering to perform a comprehensive study of the water infrastructure in Rawlins.
Earlier this year, in July, WWC Engineering Laramie Branch Manager Murray Schroeder reviewed his draft water master plan with the city council.
In his report, Schroeder listed four high priority projects requiring immediate attention: Revitalizing the Sage Creek Springs, repairing blow-off valves on the transmission line from the springs to the Atlantic Rim Reservoir, addressing the high-pressure line crossing under Interstate 80, and replacing the city’s two treated water storage tanks.
Schroeder began his presentation by addressing the five and a half miles of aging pipe running from the Sage Creek Spring boxes into the water treatment plant. The WWC engineer said fixing and replacing the pipes will cost roughly $9 million.
Three-quarters of the city’s drinking water comes from the Sage Creek Springs.
Schroeder next addressed the 25 miles of steel pipeline that connects the springs to the Atlantic Rim Reservoir. The WWC engineer said many blow-off valves on the line are failing and must be replaced. A blow-off valve is designed to release excess pressure from the water transmission line. Schroeder said a valve failure could have disastrous effects. Fixing the water line will likely cost upwards of $5 million.
Schroeder also mentioned that 7,000 feet of buried high-pressure lines need to be replaced, with an estimated cost ranging between $7 and $9 million. Additionally, Schroeder said replacing the city’s two treated water storage tanks, which are highly corroded, is expected to cost roughly $4.7 million.
The water master plan shows that the city’s water infrastructure needs approximately $27 million worth of repairs. Schroeder recommended applying for a Wyoming Water Development Commission grant to help with funding. Assuming the WWDC pays for half of the project, Schroeder said the city must still contribute nearly $12 million of its own money.
To cover the city’s portion of the repair costs, the governing body voted to increase both the commercial and residential water rates by roughly 80%, meaning a resident with a three-quarter-inch water tap saw their bill rise from $29.48 a month to $53.06. In the meantime, the city submitted a grant application to the Wyoming Water Development Commission.
During Tuesday’s Rawlins city council meeting, City Manager Tom Sarvey reported that WWDC will decide on the city’s grant request next Wednesday, November 13th.
Sarvey said he, Mayor Terry Weickum, Public Works Director Cody Dill, and City Engineer Carl Smith will attend the Casper meeting in person. The city manager said he hopes to bring good news to the following council meeting on November 19th.
Meanwhile, in Saratoga, the governing body is asking for financial assistance from the Wyoming Water Development Commission for the construction of a new treated water storage tank.
In July of 2023, the town allocated $55,000 to hire Iseler Demolition, a Michigan-based water tank removal firm, to dismantle the leaking water tower on Sierra Madre Avenue, southwest of Valley Foods. Built in 2002 of bolted steel sections, the water tank began leaking shortly after construction finished. In 2021, the Environmental Protection Agency ordered the town of Saratoga to tear down the leaking tank.
The town must now replace the demolished water tower. At the March 5th Saratoga town council meeting, Public Works Director Emery Penner requested authorization to apply for a Wyoming Water Development Commission grant to construct a new treated water storage tank.
The Saratoga town council unanimously voted to support Penner’s grant application request.
Like Rawlins, Saratoga officials are also waiting for word from the Wyoming Water Development Commission. At Tuesday’s Saratoga town council meeting, Public Works Director Penner said he will know the status of the town’s grant application request next week.
Rawlins and Saratoga are among several municipalities that have submitted nearly 50 grant application requests to the state agency.
The Wyoming Water Development Commission will meet on November 12th and 13th in Room 332 of the Union University Building at Casper College. Tuesday’s meeting, starting at 1:30 p.m., will address the commission’s standard administrative duties. The following day, Wednesday, November 13th, the WWDC will review each grant request and make recommendations for approval.
