Westminster lifts raw-water pipeline authority to $23.3m amid field changes
City of Westminster Department of Public Works and Utilities, Colorado · Meeting date: November 9, 2026 · Published: November 10, 2026
Westminster City Council approved a further $2.12m construction contingency for Reynolds Construction and up to $1.62m for HDR Engineering’s construction-phase oversight on the Westminster Boulevard Raw Water Pipeline Extension. The active project is a critical-path link to the city’s new Drinking Water Facility.
Key points
- Council approved $2.12m of additional city-held contingency for Reynolds Construction, lifting its total authorized expenditure from $21.21m to $23.33m.
- HDR Engineering received a $1.47m construction-phase amendment plus a $147,216 contingency, taking its total authorization to $1.87m.
- The pipeline will convey raw water from the existing system near 92nd Avenue and Wadsworth Boulevard to the new Drinking Water Facility near 100th Avenue and Westminster Boulevard.
- Unforeseen conditions have included 1,400 linear feet of full-depth reconstruction on 96th Avenue, utility conflicts, modified public-access scope and additional tree mitigation.
- The city said $3.99m was appropriated from the Utility Capital Project Reserve to the DWF–Raw Water Line capital programme in its 2026 budget amendment.
Full report
Westminster City Council has approved further contingency and construction-management funding for the Westminster Boulevard Raw Water Pipeline Extension, after field conditions and project changes consumed available construction contingency faster than anticipated.
The council authorised $2.120805m in additional city-held contingency for contractor Reynolds Construction, Inc., increasing the total authorised expenditure for the construction contract from $21.208050m to $23.328855m. It also approved a first amendment for HDR Engineering, Inc. worth $1.472162m, with a 10% city-held contingency of $147,216. HDR’s total authorised expenditure will rise from $249,934 to $1.869312m.
The two approvals add up to $3.740183m of new authority, including the HDR contingency.
The pipeline is intended to transfer water from Westminster’s existing raw-water system near 92nd Avenue and Wadsworth Boulevard to the new Drinking Water Facility near 100th Avenue and Westminster Boulevard. The city said the line must be completed before the new facility can begin commissioning activities in 2028.
Reynolds was selected following a competitive procurement, having submitted the lowest responsive and responsible bid of $19.280045m in 2025. The city issued a notice to proceed on September 30, 2025 to address long lead times for large-diameter pipe materials, with active construction beginning in February 2026.
Staff said that unforeseen field conditions had driven change orders and accelerated contingency use. These included full-depth reconstruction of about 1,400 linear feet of 96th Avenue between Teller Street and Pierce Street after pavement and underlying roadway conditions deteriorated during pipeline construction. The project has also encountered utility conflicts, changes required to maintain public access, and extra tree-mitigation requirements arising from site constraints.
HDR was competitively selected to provide owner’s representative, resident project representative and quality-assurance services after the city decided to move resident project representation from engineer of record Burns & McDonnell to a separate consultant during construction. The initial $249,934 agreement allowed HDR to begin work during the transition. The amendment funds construction observation and documentation, coordination with the city, contractor and engineer of record, quality assurance, and owner’s representative support through construction completion and closeout.
Funding is available through the Drinking Water Facility–Raw Water Line capital improvement programme. Westminster’s 2026 budget amendment appropriated $3.990117m from the Utility Capital Project Reserve to that programme, according to staff.
This summary was generated by AI based on the source document and may contain errors.
Source: City Council Meeting, City of Westminster Department of Public Works and Utilities