$20 million water line replacement starts in city limits

Work started early in November on the $19.9 million replacement of the aging Buffalo Pound Water Pipeline providing water to Moose Jaw.

“We started on Mulberry Lane tunneling underground,” said Project Manager Deller Reddekopp of Hamm Construction. “We can do the bore work under road crossings in the winter so that in spring our crews can just slide the pipe in.”

While some street closures will be needed, “traffic won’t be as disrupted by the trenchless work.”

The 30-inch diameter pipe will replace a leaky 24-inch steel line built in 1954.

Reddekopp said residents will not notice any difference in water supplies until the new line is completed at the end of next August.

Virtually all of the 13-mile line to the filtration plant will be conventional trench excavation on the pipeline easement beside the old line.

“This is a good project,” he said. “We’re looking forward to it. We’re excited about working in Moose Jaw. Other than some recent work outside the city and work for a private developer in Moose Jaw, Saskatoon-based Hamm has not worked for the city “in a long time.” About 10 employees are on site now with 45 expected at the peak from May to July.

Hamm Construction has been around for 40 years, spe- cializing in pipelines and trenchless work. Currently, 14 projects include five other municipal water distribution systems, with several in Saskatoon. “We’ve done projects all over Saskatchewan and Alberta,” he said. “This is not new to us.”

City council will borrow $15 million next year to fund the line. Repayment will be funded by annual 15 per cent increases in water rates

A second phase of the project involves new pumps at the water plant, with estimated value between $3 million and $5 million.

Ron Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel.net