Serving O'Brien & Clay Counties
Serving O'Brien & Clay Counties
Pipework kicks off large improvement project
An excavator digs a splicing pit on Tuesday near the intersection of East Maple Drive and South Eighth Avenue East.
Workers from GM Contracting, Inc., of Lake Crystal, Minn., check sewer main depths prior to boring last week along Eight Avenue East.
The dirty work is underway on a large infrastructure project aimed at improving the sewer system for residents in east Hartley.
Crews from GM Contracting, Inc., of Lake Crystal, Minn., arrived last week and began directional drilling for a new force main under Eighth Avenue East. The work is the first step in a project that will replace the sewer lift station that services homes in the surrounding area.
"Everything has been going pretty well and to schedule so far," said Hartley Superintendent of Public Works Jaron Benz.
According to Benz, GM Contracting is hoping to finish directional drilling the new force main by the end of this week. Large bore pits can be seen along the road right now, which give drilling equipment access to the ground under the road. A manhole at the intersection of Second Street Southeast and South Eighth Avenue East is also slated to be dug up and completely replaced as part of the project.
The new 6" PVC sewer line will replace old 4" cast iron pipe.
"It's a really busy area right now," Benz said. "It will be good to get this done."
The project was supposed to begin last year, but procedural delays kicked the can to springtime. The old sewer lift station will remain operational until the new one is built and ready for service.
The project's original price tag was estimated at $1.1 million, $500,000 of which will be offset by a Community Development Block Grant. Thanks to an extremely competitive bid from GM Contracting last fall, the city was able to add on to the project and will also be relining a portion of sewer lines in the immediate area serviced by the lift station.
Once finished, the project will replace the lift station located at North Eighth Avenue East and Second Street Northeast that services a large portion of the northeast quadrant of town. The current equipment was installed in 1967 and is outdated. Sewer backups are common in the affected area during large rain events because the lift station is unable to pump water away fast enough.
