Work is starting this week (Oct. 21, 2021) to repair and preserve a major underground utility line in Pierre– and the City is using nearly a half-million-dollars of its federal COVID stimulus funds to do it.
City engineer John Childs says the 660 feet of a large storm sewer line that runs under most of River Road on the west side of Pierre is about 45 years old. He says the project contractor will clean out the pipe and install a cured-in-place fiberglass epoxy liner, which is expected to extend the life of the storm sewer by 50 years or more.
Child says at 60 inches– or five feet– in size, the large storm sewer pipe can carry an incredible amount of water runoff. He says this storm sewer is what conveys the water drainage from as far north and east as Highway 1804. It takes the runoff to Whiskey Gulch and eventually into the river.
Childs says no one thinks too much about storm water drainage until there’s a problem. He says the project is essential for keeping water off of city streets and mitigating erosion and property damage. Work should be complete by the end of the month.
More than $492,000 of Pierre’s $2.4 million allotted by the American Rescue Plan Act is being used to pay for the refurbishing.
The City Commission is considering other large underground utility repairs for the remainder of its federal COVID allotment.
Image credit City of Pierre.
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