South Helena infrastructure project to secure water source for thousands

The city launched the West Main/Eureka to Hale Connector Project to replace 130-year-old pipes feeding the 135-year-old Hale tank, a move city engineers say will shore up water service for thousands in the South Hills and downtown. The work began in early fall of 2025 and is expected to be completed by June 30, 2026.

The Hale tank holds 4 million gallons of drinking water for the South Hills and downtown residents and businesses. City officials framed the effort as part of long-term reliability planning for Helena’s water system and said the replacement will connect the West Main Well uphill to the Hale tank. City engineer Jamie Clark described the project as addressing a persistent vulnerability in the distribution system: “When I first started here, whatever, 15 years ago there was a lot of things that kept me up at night, when I learned about them, right? Like what happens if this thing breaks? And I sort of just learned you chip away at the stone, and do what you can do and you leave work at work and go home and play. And so this was one of those things.”

The $14 million undertaking is being financed with pandemic-era federal relief: “The $14 million undertaking ... was made possible by a $15 million Covid relief grant awarded to the city in 2021.” Project engineers project the new infrastructure will provide reliability in water service for another 130 years. The work replaces century-old mains and updates connections uphill to the Hale tank, a critical storage asset for large portions of the city.

The connector project runs alongside a separate, multi-phase effort on the west side of Helena. The four-phase Crosstown Connector Project began in the fall of 2025 and is expected to run through the spring of 2027. That project, funded by a state loan of roughly $3 million, affects the Ten Mile water treatment plant and will require the city to rely on the Missouri River treatment plant during phased work. A city social media post warned, “Whenever the Missouri River plant is turned on, it is common that some residents experience slight discoloration or odor in their water. The changes should not be of concern and are typically resolved quickly.” City officials have prepared a project map for residents, expect temporary street closures, and say staff will contact property owners who may need temporary piped water. Construction on the Crosstown project will pause during summer months to meet irrigation needs.

For South Hills and downtown residents, the connector project aims to reduce the risk of service interruptions tied to aging mains and storage infrastructure. The work will be disruptive in places, but officials emphasize the upgrades will protect drinking water supplies and system resiliency. City engineering and finance offices remain the primary sources for specifics on construction sequencing, contractor arrangements, and final accounting for the 2021 grant funds.

The immediate outlook for residents is twofold: steady work on the Hale connector through mid-2026 with limited service risk as old mains are swapped out, and an ongoing west-side program through 2027 that may produce short-term changes in water appearance when the Missouri River plant is used. Readers should watch city communications for street closure notices and direct contact from staff if their property will need temporary piped service as crews work through both projects.