Jamestown plans $3.7 million water main upgrade, stormwater repairs for 2026

Drivers and residents on 4th Avenue Northwest and a short stretch of 7th Street Southwest west of Domino’s should be the first to feel Jamestown’s 2026 construction season, as the city prepares to start a $3.7 million water main replacement in the first week of May and finish by the end of June.

Public works director Tyler Michel said the second phase of the water main work will run from 11th Street to about 16th Street Northwest on 4th Avenue Northwest, with another segment on 7th Street Southwest. The goal is to replace older pipe with PVC so the city can reduce tuberculation, improve water flow to hydrants and cut down on future water-main breaks. The first phase was completed last year in the West Business Loop area and near the 10th Street Southeast intersection heading north toward Domino’s, extending a project that has already changed part of the city’s underground network.

The water line replacement is only part of a larger utility push. Later this summer, Jamestown is expected to begin the second segment of its 96-inch stormwater replacement project. That work will replace stormwater pipe on the east side of U.S. Highway 281 to about Paradiso and then north to the Interstate 94 corridor, followed by ditch cleaning near Valley Plains Equipment so water can move out of the pipe system more efficiently. City officials have framed the work as a way to keep water moving, protect streets and reduce the chance that aging infrastructure fails during heavy runoff.

Other 2026 projects include recoating the interior and exterior of the water tower on Mill Hill, a mill-and-overlay project in northeast Jamestown, and possible lead service line work on 4th Avenue Northeast and 4th Avenue Southeast. Jamestown’s water plant can produce 7 million gallons a day, a reminder of how much the city depends on that system and how much is riding on each upgrade.

The city’s lead service line effort moved forward on Jan. 22, when the Public Works Committee recommended a preliminary engineering report and cost estimate for Lead Service Line Citywide District #25-63. City officials have said replacement could begin as early as summer 2026 in older parts of Jamestown where lead lines remain, while newer developments are not affected. Residents in affected areas were notified in late January. Officials said the work must be completed by 2037 under the EPA Lead and Copper Rule, and they expect to finance it with a $2 million forgivable loan from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund plus special assessments on property owners. City estimates put the cost of replacing a single service line at about $8,000 to $12,000.

The 2026 schedule shows Jamestown trying to stay ahead of failures rather than chase them. With water mains, storm sewer pipe, a water tower and street work all on the list, city leaders are betting that short-term disruption now will mean fewer breaks, better drainage and steadier service across Stutsman County’s largest city later.