Council approves gas line repair contract

by Eric Mullens
WALSENBURG — In a special session of the Walsenburg City Council, members present voted unanimously to amend a current gas line repair contract; adding additional funds for the replacement of a segment of gas main affected by a recent wash out.
Mayor Larry Patrick and council members Rick Jennings, Silvana Lind, Nick Vigil and Erin Jerant voted to approve the $88,015 contract with K.R. Swerdfeger Construction Inc., of Pueblo West at the special city council meeting Friday, July 19.
City administrator David Johnston said the firm has been made aware of the contract award and material (steel pipe) has been ordered, however the exact delivery date was unknown by mid-week.
The contract calls for the firm to supply and install 1,000 feet of 6” steel pipe, wrap same and do two side-out tie-ins in the arroyo area where the line is located. Labor costs were listed as $52,435 and material costs at $35,580.
The contract accepted by the city council was the low bid of two by the same contractor.
The other bid amount was $216,128.90 and called for supply and install 1,000 feet of steel bore, wrap and do the two-side tie-ins.
Johnston said the location, east of I-25 and approximately four miles south of Walsenburg, was affected by water runoff earlier in the month, and exposed a section of gas line previously located eight feet underground. After the brief, intense gully-washer, the pipe is now three feet off of the ground and exposed as it crosses the washout. The pipe is encased in concrete, which is already showing stress cracks.
Earlier this summer, city council approved a gas line repair bid from the same firm for $64,500 to fix six identified leaks in the main gas line that delivers natural gas to Walsenburg from Trinidad.
An exact date when the work will commence is unknown until the material is delivered. Johnston said he would be talking with Swerdfeger officials this week.