Water project nears finish

SANDPOINT — A major component in the expansion of the local water system will be complete within the next few weeks.

A project many years in the making, the installation of new 24-inch water mains this month is an essential step in expanding water utility capabilities throughout the region. Projected by city officials to be complete by the end of the week, the project will result in two new water pipelines from the Lake Water Treatment Plant, one stretching to Ponderay and the other to downtown Sandpoint.  

The installation arrives following a council decision in summer 2011 to expand the water boundaries, pushing lines well north of Ponderay and encompassing Kootenai and other developing areas. The decision was strategically timed to meet expanding water needs gradually, according to Sandpoint Public Works Director Kody Van Dyk.

“We anticipated there wouldn’t be a huge increase in demand right away,” he said.  

The installation process has gone very smoothly, Van Dyk said. Aside from a minor industrial clay spill on Monday, contractors from Noble Excavation and the subcontracted Kinnan Engineering reported no problems with the process. Rather than dealing with the complications and expense of digging through Sand Creek and other tricky regions, excavators were able to employ a more subtle process called pipe ramming. Similar to pile driving, the process was able to essentially drill channels without disturbing the landscape.

One concern regarding this process was the level of noise generated. However, Van Dyk said the crew lucked out in that respect. The way the project was ultimately positioned meant sound was directed toward low-populated regions, meaning the noise pollution was much less bothersome than Van Dyk originally worried.

“We didn’t hear a thing from any residents as far as complaints went,” he said.

Noble Excavation and Kinnan Engineering personnel have already completed the drilling for the new water mains. The next step is to take the massive pipelines, which have a 24-inch capacity supported by four-inch-thick industrial grade plastic. After Thanksgiving, the work crews aim to finish the job by completing the connections to the water system.