City Commissioners approved an agreement for $195,000 with Water and Environmental Technologies during their Feb. 6 meeting for professional services to design, facilitate bidding, and provide construction phase services for a storm drain infrastructure project.

The project consists of making improvements to storm drain infrastructure in the South Great Falls Middle Basin, connecting existing storm drain pipe in 10th Street South near 24th Avenue South with existing pipe in 6th Street South near 30th Avenue South.

The project is scheduled to begin construction in summer 2025.

City approves final payment for storm drain project

A study for the area was completed in April 2012 looking at existing conditions and recommended storm drain mains, detention ponds, and outfalls for north, middle, and south basins for the South Great Falls area to be utilized as a planning tool.

Eight previous projects have been constructed as a result of recommendations from the study, and there are five remaining projects, including this one, that still need to be completed to mitigate flooding and prevent future problems. The study noted that residents of the area have voiced concerns regarding periodic flooding problems in the area, according to the staff report.

Jury awards minimal damages in flooding lawsuit against city [2023]

Existing flows from 22nd Avenue South are captured by a 30-inch storm main in 10th Street South which ends at the northeast corner of a parcel owned by Great Falls Public Schools.

Storm water then flows over land across the school parcel and into a 48-inch storm main in 6th Street South, which eventually outfalls into the Missouri River.

This project will install 36-inch to 48-inch storm drain pipe parallel to an existing sanitary sewer main, as well as manholes and inlets as needed to connect the gap in infrastructure that will capture flows from the school parcel and area to the north and mitigate potential flooding throughout the area, according to the staff report.

City completing storm drain project

WET will design the project, assist in soliciting of bids for construction, provide construction phase services, and help in as-built documentation preparation. City engineering staff will provide project oversight and coordination, assistance in design and construction administration and serve as a point of contact.

The agreement includes:

• project administration
• planning and pre-design, including kick-off meeting, site survey, and base mapping
• schematic/preliminary 35 percent and 60 percent plans, specifications, and review meetings
• final design plans, specifications, cost estimate, and 95 percent review meeting
• contract documents, including bidding support, pre-construction meeting, construction phase services, and as-built drafting support
• miscellaneous work

The project has been prioritized under the city’s public works capital improvements program and will be funded through the public works capital improvements plan storm drain fund.