A summer of construction work is in store for Minnesota Highway 11 beginning at Second Bridge and ending just before Ranier as a water main reconstruction project gets underway.
The project, which will replace water lines in the French and Jameson additions, has been in the works for more than one year and prompted the city of Ranier to annex adjacent properties in 2009.
The city annexed the properties because Ranier didn’t have any legal authority over the water lines supplying service to the additions, according to Ranier City Clerk Kim Nuthak. She said the water lines were quickly deteriorating and replacement was necessary.
“We couldn’t borrow money to maintain those lines or replace those lines unless they were within city limits,” she said.
The project’s engineering firm, Short Elliott Hendrickson Inc., was contacted by Ranier officials prior to annexation for financing options. The United States Department of Agriculture Department Rural Development was the only agency willing to finance such a project, Nuthak said.
“The only way they were willing to do it to begin with, was if those water lines belonged to the city,” Nuthak explained of Rural Development’s involvement.
At the April 18 Ranier City Council meeting, the council agreed to seek $33,000 from Minnesota Rural Water Association, which is serving as an interim financing partner with the city for the project.
At the meeting, Nuthak explained that the organization helps communities around Minnesota and will work with Ranier until the water line project is complete. The city will then get additional funding from Rural Development.
“I had to borrow money prior to the shovel going into the dirt to pay engineering costs,” Nuthak told The Journal. “Once the project is complete, Rural Development will pay back Rural Water everything they funded Ranier for.”
In all, $1.2 million to fund the project is available from Rural Development.
“I don’t even know if it’ll end up costing that much,” Nuthak clarified of the project’s price tag.
She added that replacing the water lines will prevent the city from increasing water rates. She said that Rural Development accepts monthly payments from Ranier to keep the city from raising the public’s rates.
Nuthak said Wagner Construction Inc., the project’s main contractor, predicts the reconstruction will be complete by the end of August.
“I’m excited about this project,” Nuthak concluded. “We’ve had to have our water pressure turned down at the plant because the lines were so bad. People will soon get regular water pressure, like they should.”
