Design begins for spring box replacements

The City of Rawlins is making strides in fortifying its water infrastructure with the launch of its fourth major project, the Sage Creek Springs Rehabilitation B1 Project.

Through 2025, this project will focus on designing and permitting the replacement of 12 spring water collection boxes in the Sage Creek drainage area. These boxes are critical to Rawlins' water supply, accounting for an estimated two-thirds of the system's total output.

The spring boxes are where the water gets collected, dropped into pipelines and shipped to town. Many spring and junction boxes used to collect groundwater have deteriorated over time. Some boxes are over 100 years old. The collapse and clogging of collection laterals have reduced their effectiveness, risking water quality issues.

The Springs Rehabilitation B1 Project is estimated to be $1.87 million, including design, permitting and construction. At this time, the project is in the design and permitting phase, with funding from a federal ARPA grant to the city.

The Springs Rehabilitation B1 Project is one of eight - Priority 1 projects itemized in the city's 2024 Water Master Plan. Three of the eight priority projects have previously been completed or are in progress, including the pre-treatment plant startup, the SCADA system renovation, and the replacement of 10,000 feet of wood stave pipeline to rehabilitate the Sage Creek Springs collection infrastructure.

All eight projects have a 2024 value of about $33 million. Completion of these projects is expected to take several years.