NEW ULM — The City of New Ulm’s raw water line replacement project was completed earlier this month before the extreme weather hit.

The raw water line that brought water from the wells on the city’s north side to the city filtration plant needed to be replaced this year before the start of winter after a leak was found in August. The leak was determined to be located on a part of the line that was under the Minnesota River, about 15 feet from the bank. This raw water line feeds water from wells 20 and 21 to the treatment plant. The two wells produce approximately 1,000 gallons per minute when fully functioning, which is about half of the city’s average summer water demand.

Since this is a critical piece of infrastructure, New Ulm Public Utilities moved to replace it as soon as possible. The project was fast-tracked to be completed in the fall, as it needed to be done before the weather became too cold. In addition, the project could not be delayed until after winter, because the line is located in a flood area. During the spring thaw, the odds of the project location being flooded are high. If public utilities delayed the project, the site might not be accessible until the summer, when wells 20 and 21 were needed most.

In September, the city council declared a local emergency to replace the leaking main. This allowed the city to push forward the quoting process and order supplies quickly. This action allowed the city to complete the replacement project before winter hit.

Utility Engineer Dan Pirsig said the replacement project was completed on Dec. 18, just before the cold weather hit the region.

Utilities Director Kris Manderfeld was pleased the raw water line was replaced before the end of the year. Based on current weather trends she believed it was wise to put a rush on the project. Manderfeld said that based on the snowfall New Ulm has already received the odds of spring flooding were very high. If the city had waited, it could have been months before the project was completed.