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Lewis and Clark makes north-south connection

Lead Summary
By
Mavis Fodness

Construction began in northeastern Rock County on a $10 million project to bring water from the Lewis and Clark water pipeline to the Lincoln Pipestone Rural Water pump station in Edgerton.
Installation of the 21-mile, 14-inch trunk line began in September and is expected to be in operation sometime in 2018.
Winter Brothers Underground of Brookings, South Dakota, is completing the pipeline stretching from the pump house in Magnolia to the station located two-miles north of Edgerton.
The construction work will continue this year until weather conditions halt progress.
“They seem to be progressing well,” said Jason Overby, LPRW general manager. “The reservoirs are going in this week.”
Along with the pipeline, two 400,000-gallon glass-lined water reservoirs will be constructed at the Edgerton pump station. The above-ground, silo-like structures will hold water pumped from Magnolia.
However, the current water line under construction from Magnolia to Edgerton won’t include connections to existing clients or to new customers due to the new pipeline’s uphill climb from Magnolia to Edgerton.
Overby said due to the elevation from Magnolia to Edgerton additional equipment would be necessary to keep the water pressure constant. That equipment may be included in future capital improvement plans.
Currently LPRW is completing the second phase of improvements within its 10-county service area.
Besides the new waterline and reservoir, additional improvements include a new metering system and pump station upgrades in the LPRW northernmost service areas. These costs are estimated at an additional $5 million.
The Magnolia connection to the Lewis and Clark water pipeline is in addition to the connection (scheduled to also be complete in 2018) in Adrian.
Both of the connections are expected to lessen the water demand from the LPRW treatment plants near Holland and Verdi, Overby said.
In Rock County, LPRW serves the Magnolia, Kenneth, Hardwick and Jasper areas.

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