Hartley council receives CIIP update

The Hartley City Council on Monday heard an update on a project that will improve existing infrastructure on the east side of town.

Engineer Wes Boyer, of Bolton & Menk, said work on the cure-in-place-pipe (CIPP) lining project is slated to start in December. The scope of the project will affect 11,000 feet of pipe and 46 manholes.

"It's really not a problem to be doing it in the winter. They do it regularly because the pipes are underground and fairly protected from temperatures," Boyer said. "The manholes will be handled more towards spring because they are more open to the air."

CIPP lining is a method of trenchless rehabilitation and restoration used in the repair of existing sewer lines. The process uses a textile liner tube and a liquid resin to reseal cracks and other damage, in turn reducing the amount of inflow and infiltration into pipes and lessening the burden on the sewer system.

The lining project came thanks to extremely low bids for the city's lift station upgrade project. Back in November of 2021, GM Contracting, Inc., of Lake Crystal, Minn., submitted a bid of $502,006.46 for replacement and construction of the lift station. The project was originally estimated at $908,570 without engineering, administrative and legal fees.

The low bid came with some unexpected consequences. Since the city received a $500,000 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) to help pay for the upgrade around 50 percent of that amount would have to be returned because it wouldn't be needed to pay for the project.

Wisconsin-based Visu-Sewer won the bid for the CIPP lining with an estimate of $427,411. The project's deadline is set for May 31, 2023.