Tea, SD — The bids have come in, and a contract has been awarded for much less than the estimate for a section of water pipeline heading west out of Sioux Center toward the Big Sioux River for the Lewis & Clark Regional Water System.
The system’s board of directors has awarded an $8.2 million contract to Carstensen Contracting of Dell Rapids, SD (formerly of Pipestone, MN). Executive Director Troy Larson tells us the contract includes ten miles of 24-inch diameter PVC pipe starting at Sioux Center and heading west. The low bid was significantly less than the just over $11 million originally budgeted when the project was authorized in 2000, as indexed for inflation.
He tells us that August 2020 is the substantial completion deadline for this ten-mile section of pipeline, which is designated by Lewis & Clark as Iowa – Segment 2. According Larson, Carstensen anticipates they will begin pipeline construction on Iowa – Segment 2 this summer. Last August Carstensen was awarded the contract for 11.2 miles starting at Beresford and heading east. Construction on that segment of pipeline will begin this spring.
With these two projects under contract, there remains a 12.6-mile gap of pipeline in the middle, including the Big Sioux River crossing. The contract for the middle 12.6 miles of pipeline is currently scheduled to be awarded this May.
Hull and Sioux Center were connected a while back by Lewis & Clark pipe so that Sioux Center could sell water to Hull until Lewis & Clark water arrived in the area. According to Larson, there are a few more steps to getting water actually flowing toward Sioux Center and Hull.
He says the Hull meter building will also need to be expanded.
Larson tells us that the date of awarding those contracts will depend on future funding levels, as well as the low bids for them. If all goes well Sioux Center and Hull could be receiving Lewis & Clark water by the end of 2021 says Larson.
Photo caption: 24-inch steel pipe is installed (note: while the Sioux Center pipe will be 24-inch pipe, Larson says it will be PVC, not steel)
