Sibley, Iowa — There is plenty left to be done, but the final section of pipe for the base system of the Lewis & Clark Regional Water System has been lowered into place near Sibley.
Lewis & Clark officials tell us they celebrated what they called a “golden spike” milestone in the base system construction just northeast of Sibley on Friday. Executive Director Troy Larson says Metro Construction installed the final section of pipe in the System’s 310 miles of transmission pipeline.
Attendees signed the gold-colored 12-inch diameter pipe before it was lowered into the trench. Remarks were made by various Lewis & Clark members, as well as officials from the Bureau of Reclamation, Banner Associates, and the offices of Senators Grassley and Ernst.
Chairman Murray Hulstein of Sioux Center says, “The first section of pipe was installed on June 14, 2004, so this day was over 20 years in the making. Construction on the third and final phase of the water treatment plant is not expected to be completed until 2028, so we still have a ways to go but finally reaching this important milestone is certainly reason to celebrate.”
Larson says, “Many people in the early 90’s thought this was more of a pipe dream than a pipeline. Thanks to a lot of teamwork and perseverance we turned that dream into a reality.”
Sibley is expected to be connected in October when the nearby meter building is completed. They will be the last of the 20 members to be connected. Madison is expected to be connected in early August.
While the last section of pipe is only 12 inches in diameter, and made of PVC, there are several sizes and types of pipe in the system, including the main trunk line, which you could almost stand up in, at 54 inches. There’s even a very short section of 72-inch pipe, which, if you’re less than 6 feet tall, you could actually stand in. 24-inch and larger pipes are mainly made of steel with a concrete mortar lining.
