City of TD rides new pipeline; Water for everyone - It's bodacious, bruh
Officials gathered at the headwaters of the Dog River in the Mount Hood National Forest on May 18, 2022, as The City of The Dalles kicked off the century-old pipe replacement. The old wooden pipe leaked up to a million gallons per day during peak runoff times. The project is now complete and that magic of receiving clean, pure water to prolong your life with minimal effort every time you turn a tap, well, that will continue for residents for another 100 years, precipitation gods willing.
From the City of The Dalles:
The Dalles, Ore., Dec. 23, 2023 - A new and improved Dog River Pipeline is now in service.
Following two busy construction seasons, the new pipeline is installed and delivering high-quality water from the City’s protected watershed to The Dalles.
Back in 2022, Public Works Director Dave Anderson said the replacement bid came in at $3.5 million below the estimated cost by Jacobs Engineering. That allowed the City to lower its debt burden as it has access to $7.5 million in low-interest loans - 1 percent annual interest- to complete the project from the federal government. The City also was given $1.53 million in federal and state money for the project.
The Dalles City Council authorized New City Manager Matthew Klebes to enter into a contract with K&E Excavating for the Dog River pipeline replacement for $5,890,550 at its regular meeting on Monday, May 23, 2022.- Tom Peterson
“With support from our valued partners, The Dalles City Council has turned a longstanding priority into a reality, successfully modernizing the Dog River Pipeline,” said Public Works Director Dave Anderson.
The Dog River Pipeline Replacement enhances the City’s water system reliability and improves water efficiency. The new three-and-a-half-mile pipeline is built with durable high-density polyethylene, replacing the aged wooden pipeline, which was estimated to have leaked one million gallons of water per day during high springtime flows.
The project location in Mt. Hood National Forest meant construction had to span multiple seasons, adjusting for winter snows and fall wildfires. Along with the pipeline, the City also installed a new rock ramp fish passage in Dog River and repaired a damaged culvert to protect water quality. Some finishing touches, including portions of the new fish screening system near the intake and final restoration, will happen in spring 2024.
“The pipeline construction was made possible by ratepayer funds and through $1 million in grants, helping us complete this necessary project to secure a reliable water pipeline for the future of The Dalles,” Anderson said.
Early in the project, the City succeeded in applying for and receiving outside supplemental funding, including grants, forgivable loans, and low-interest loans from the Water Infrastructure Finance Authority and the Oregon Water Resources Department. The Dalles’ community is seeing the results of that investment as the pipeline is now in service and helping to supply drinking water.
The Dog River Pipeline Replacement introduces a new chapter for The Dalles’ water system history that is stronger and modernized while continuing to provide fresh, reliable drinking water to the community.
To learn more about the project, visit www.thedalles.org/dogriverpipeline or reply to this email.
