City accepts low bid to repair Sweetwater Ranch sinkhole; construction to proceed

Mil Creek’s council voted April 14 to accept the low bid from WSB Excavation and Utilities LLC to repair a sinkhole and replace a failed stormwater pipe in the Sweetwater Ranch area.

City Engineer Dan Cardy summarized the background: a sinkhole discovered in 2023 led to investigation that showed the existing pipe had failed; the recommended fix moves the replacement main to common property managed by the local homeowners’ association to avoid private backyards but required additional permitting because the route crosses wetlands, including approvals from the state Department of Ecology and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The permitting delay pushed construction into the current year’s in‑water window.

Cardy said the Sweetwater Ranch project is budgeted in the 2025–2030 CIP at $1.7 million, with roughly $1.3 million currently available in the project line item after design expenses. The low, responsive bid of $78,393 (inclusive of sales tax) was confirmed as responsible and within the available surface‑water funding.

Council moved to accept the bid and to proceed with contract award and construction; the motion passed on the record with a 7–0 vote.

Ending: Staff said construction management and contingency will be covered within the project budget and that inspections and preventive programs (pipe inspection program and potential relining techniques) are part of the city’s longer‑term approach to avoid repeated failures.