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Water Projects
Missoula Water has implemented a water main replacement program to reduce leakage and replace aging water mains. The projects shown here are critical to achieving that goal. In addition to water main projects, the City completes other water system infrastructure projects that keep the system working at an efficient and optimal level of service for our customers.
Lincoln Hills Water Storage Tank Projects
Location: Two new water storage tanks will be constructed next to the two current water tanks off of Contour Rd. and Lincoln Hills Dr., as shown on the map below.
Description: This project will replace two undersized aging metal tanks up in Lincoln Hills. The Lower Lincoln Hills tank will be a partially buried, cast-in-place concrete tank installed adjacent to the existing tank. The Upper Lincoln Hills tank will be a fully buried, cast-in-place concrete tank and will also be installed next to the existing metal tank.
Crews will begin with the upper tank but will alternate between the two sites as needed during construction to make the best use of their time. There will be periods when the concrete needs to cure, so crews can work on the other tank during this time. Alternating between the two tanks will better help get both tanks installed according to the schedule.
The Public Works & Mobility Department has partnered with Missoula Parks & Recreation’s Conservation Lands staff to ensure that the sites are restored to a natural condition. Before excavation work begins to clear the area where the new upper tank will be installed, P&R staff will collect some of the native plant species and move them to their greenhouse. The plants will be cared for there until the construction work is done, and they can be replanted on areas where vegetation was cleared. Conservation staff have already been working on raising additional native plant species in their greenhouse that will be planted along with the removed plants.
Prospect Construction is the contractor who will be doing the construction.
Benefits: Replacing these tanks was identified as a priority project in our Water Facility Plan because the undersized tanks cause a multitude of issues, especially excessive pump cycling, which leads to pumps and motors wearing out more quickly. The new tanks will also provide more storage capacity for Missoula Water customers and firefighting needs.
Project Dates: Begins April 18 with a scheduled completion date of November 15 for the upper tank and December 1 for the lower tank. These dates are subject to change due to weather and other circumstances.
Project Contact: Andy Schultz, City Engineer for Utilities, 406-552-6758 or SchultzA@ci.missoula.mt.us
Upper Prospect Water Storage Tank #2 Project
Location: At the top of Pinnacle Place next to the water tank currently in place.
Description: This project will install an additional 150,000-gallon cast-in-place concrete water storage tank at the Upper Prospect tank site.
Traffic Expectations: All streets will be passable—no work will be done in the streets, but there will be an increase in heavy truck traffic. Because the new tank will be poured in place, concrete trucks and other heavy equipment will need to use City streets and an access road to reach the project site.
Benefits: The new tank will complement the existing 150,000-gallon water storage tank already on-site, resulting in a total capacity of 300,000 gallons of water. Both tanks will be fully buried. This project was identified in the Water Facility Plan to add the necessary capacity to meet domestic and fire flow demands. In addition, it will add redundancy to the site, which will allow one of the tanks to be taken offline for maintenance.
Prospect Construction was hired to do the work based on their low bid. They are also constructing the Upper and Lower Lincoln Hills water tanks this summer. Missoula Water is able to save on construction costs by completing the Upper Prospect tank in the same construction season as the other two tanks by keeping crews working for a longer portion of the construction season and by re-using materials, such as the concrete forms.
Project Dates: Scheduled to begin July 11 with an anticipated completion date of November 30, 2022. These dates are subject to change due to weather conditions and other unforeseen circumstances.
Project Contact: Andy Schultz, City Engineer for Utilities, 406-552-6758 or SchultzA@ci.missoula.mt.us
Water Line Loan Program
Want to replace your water service line? Here's a link to information on the City's Water Line Loan Program: