City of Wenatchee to Replace Stormwater Pipe, Divert Drainage Flow

The Wenatchee City Council approved a contract with J&K Earthworks, LLC last week for the replacement of a failed stormwater pipe near the Horan Natural Area.

"They took pictures of it underground. It looks like a slinky. It's just sort of turned and gone sideways a few times." Mayor Frank Kuntz said, "This is a longer (first) phase of about three or four phases of work to get the stormwater pipe redone. It will actually put water back into the Horan Natural Area."

The failed pipe was classically the route for the much of the northern portion of the city's stormwater. In the more recent past the stormwater has been diverted north into the Wenatchee river.

J&K will replace 115 feet of 72-inch pipe.

"We talk about all the storm issues over the last (few weeks)." Kuntz said, "Really we've had three major storm events this summer and each one of those has shown little defects in our stormwater system. Although what we're working on now really isn't a defect that happened with any of that stuff."

The City will pay J&K Earthworks $337,466. Chelan PUD, who own the property above the failed pipe, have entered in to an interlocal agreement with the City to pay 50% of the project's cost.

Replacing the storm sewer is estimated to take J&K 30 days. The project is expected to be completed by mid-November of this year.