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•Case Study: Largest Rural Water Pipeline Supplies Vast Areas Of South Dakota

By Drew L. Wilson,
McElroy Manufacturing Inc.

A little over 100 years ago, Sioux Warriors protected their sacred Black Hills in South Dakota with bow and arrow. Today, the Great Sioux Nation is still protecting the area, but their methods are now being described as the largest water engineering effort in the United States.

The Mni Wiconi Rural Water Project (Mini Washonee) is the world's largest rural water pipeline and will supply water to the Lower Brule, Pine Ridge, and Rosebud Reservations as well as the West River/Lyman-Jones Rural Water System. West River/Lyman-Jones serves the people located in nine counties outside of the reservations.

The development of this massive water supply project was based on a needs assessment and final engineering report carried out under the supervision of the Federal Government. It was authorized by Congress in 1988 and expanded in 1994 to include the Rosebud and Lower Brule Sioux Tribes. Over time, the cost has risen to almost $400 million. About 80% of the project costs were allocated to the tribal systems as non-reimbursable federal costs. West River/Lyman-Jones pays a cost share on their portion of the project.

What does $400 million buy? When the project is complete (scheduled for 2008) it will include over 4,300 miles of transmission and distribution pipelines, a water treatment plant, booster stations, and numerous reservoirs. Because of the size and cost of the project, construction is being completed in phases.

Phase XII of the Rosebud Sioux Rural Water System is underway and involves significant quantities of high-density polyethylene pipe (HDPE). Polyethylene (PE) is playing a vital role in two river crossings on Phase XII and was also the key factor in the massive Missouri River intake system located in Pierre, SD.

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Click Here To Download:
•Case Study: Largest Rural Water Pipeline Supplies Vast Areas Of South Dakota