PC – Drinking Water Project – City of Bellevue, Idaho

Drinking
Water
Project

Due to aging infrastructure and deficiencies on a sanitary survey, The City of Bellevue is in need of updating the water transmission line from the Spring (that provides 80% of Bellevue’s water) to the reservoir tank to continue providing our residents clean safe drinking water. This will also help mitigate water loss from aging infrastructure. This project is very complex will require about 5 miles of new pipe over varying geographic landscapes, easement agreements between public and private property, and extensive surveying, to name a few of the logistics.

Projected Project Finish

Anticipated completion date is late Summer 2029.

Projected Project Start

This project should be breaking ground Spring of 2027. Before that it will go out to bid and a contractor will be chosen.

Region 10 EPA Grant

In Summer 2025 the City of Bellevue received notification that a grant application submitted by Mayor Giordani and Chris Johnson, Public Works Director was accepted for funding up to $4million to be used towards the drinking water project. This funding will not be released until more details are submitted with the project plan. These funds will give more capacity to meet the outline of proposed improvements.

Engineering, Facility Plan, Negotiations

There has been extensive work done over the last 2 years in preparation for moving this project forward. Merrick Engineering has surveyed the land surrounding the Spring to Water Reservoir for how to most efficiently and cost effectively relay the main pipe line. Updates to the facility plan occurred to meet the needs of the project within the requirements of IDEQ while keeping the City of Bellevue citizen’s needs at the forefront. There have been many discussions with the property owner to make sure work is being done within the proper easements and memorandum of understanding between all parties.

Revenue Bond Passed

On May 21, 2024 the Water Revenue Bond was passed by Bellevue voters. Describe what funding and rate was passed with the bond election.

This funding will help cover the majority of the cost of the following proposed improvements:

Leak Detection Survey: This effort will locate leaks throughout the system and help guide priorities for water main replacements.
Seamans Creek New Springs Collection System: A new springs collection system will be constructed and connected to the rest of the springs system.
Seamans Creek Springs Land Purchase and Easements: The City does not own nor have a permanent easement for the existing springs collection system. This effort will help the City acquire land or easements for system facilities.
Seamans Creek springs System Transmission Main Reconstruction: Approximately 16,000 feet of 16-inch transmission main will be constructed to replace the existing failing main.
Hwy 75 Watermain Improvement: Approximately 1,250 feet of undersized main will be replaced with 12-inch water main.

2023 Sanitary Survey

A Sanitary Survey completed by the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (IDEQ) identified a number of deficiencies associated witht he public water system. The survey found that potential exposure of various contamination sources infiltrating the spring water supply could lead to coliform bacterial outputs in the drinking water supply. Coliform bacteria can lead to impacts to the general public’s digestive system. For individuals with compromised immune systems, severe impacts could be chronic (or even fatal). It is anticipated that the proposed project will address the thread of coliform bacteria through the reconstruction of the spring source collection system.