Polson construction update

By TRIP BURNS

Lake County Leader

Construction continues in downtown Polson to update the city’s water system. 

Equipment is being used throughout the downtown area to remove old water mains, some of which are over 100 years old. Hydraulics engines hiss and shudder as dirt is scooped up from underneath the street surfaces, kicking up dust and shaking the ground. Chris Roberts, a project administrator for LHC, Inc., the company contracted by the city, says the improvements and replacement of the water mains will help a great deal. Polson’s water system improvement will not only help residents and business owners in the area, but also municipal services the city needs to service its tax-paying citizens. The fire department will benefit from the water system replacements, both in security and protection, Roberts said.

“We’re going to improve fire flow,” Roberts said. “Some of these water mains we’re replacing were installed in the 1920s and 30s.”

That’s good news for Polson’s fire department and other municipal entities. Stale water flow doesn’t help pumping thousands of gallons through hoses in the event of a fire. Firefighters need that water to pump quickly and efficiently. Farmers in the area should expect better pressure to water crops and hydrate livestock. Businesses can expect more efficient water usage for restaurants and other places that might depend on the water.

Improvement of the city’s water flow is an investment for the future. Construction workers are replacing the cast-iron water mains with new lines made of PVC, which is lighter and more flexible underground, allowing for adapting of shifting of soil and weather temperatures.

The area of construction extends from Kootenai Avenue to 4th Avenue East and from Main Street to Second Street East.  

Last week, crews were hard at work at the intersection of First Street East and U.S. 93. Roberts said work was primarily occurring on the north side. This week, crews will focus on the south side of U.S. 93.

Huge machines can be seen moving mounds of soil from underneath the highway. The process is called directional boring. Tunnels are dug underneath a road to limit the amount of traffic disruptions.  

After a tunnel has been dug underneath the road, crews replace the pipes and move the equipment to the next location. After workers have removed the old water line and replaced it with a new pipe, a separate two-person team follows behind and reconnects the water service.

Construction crews are working Monday to Friday from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The work is spread over roughly six blocks, with machines and heavy-duty equipment working simultaneously in different areas.

Residents and businesses can expect a short interruption in services when water is reconnected to the new pipes. “We estimate that water will be off for about 10 to 15 minutes,” Roberts said. He doesn’t anticipate any further interruption of service to the city area under construction.

The project began on March 23 and will continue until an estimated completion date of June 22. 

Ash Walker, a Polson assistant superintendent, says the project is going smoothly. “Everything is going well,” Walker said. He added that on occasion the workers have found water lines not on the city’s planning maps, but that it hasn’t slowed down the progress of the project, which is being funded in two different ways.

Aside from local city funds, the downtown project is being funded with grants. The Treasure State Endowment Program provided a grant of $650,000 and the Department of Natural Resources Grant provided an additional $100,000. 

These grants offset the cost to the taxpayers of Polson.