A new high zone raw water main is going in this summer at Cottage Grove.
Set to begin in May, construction on the raw water main will take place mostly on green space, running through fall 2025. There will be a two-week road closure of 70th Street by Idsen Avenue as well as another on westbound 65th for no more than 10 days during the project. The line once completed will carry water from Wells 11 and 12 in Sunnyhill Park off Ideal Avenue, down to a site just behind Fire Station 2 off 80th Street South.
“The line will take water from two wells in the high zone and bring it down to the intermediate zone,” Cottage Grove Public Works Director Ryan Burfeind said for explanation. The city is currently using temporary water treatment plants for PFAs-related filtering.
Plans for the raw water main call for a pipe diameter of 16 inches, with some portions 12 inches. SEH Engineering designed the raw water main project. Bids were opened on the water main project March 20, and the project award made to low bidder A-1 Engineering April 2 for $5,134,648. Three other bidders also bid on the contract: McNamara Contracting, Northdale Construction, and Meyer Contracting, Inc.
Also in the works and related to the raw water main project, a permanent treatment plant is due to rise behind Fire Station 2. The area behind 80th Street South currently hosts a temporary water treatment plant, with bid awards on the permanent treatment plant o be made in July. Construction on the permanent treatment plant will start later this year and run through 2028.