Aging Pipes, Brown Water: 2025 Salina Report Points to 182 Miles of Cast Iron Mains, 52% of System

As Salina residents continue raising concerns about discolored water, a 2025 city document provides a closer look at one of the long-term infrastructure issues inside the city’s water system.

The document, prepared for the Salina City Commission, outlines the city’s 2025 Water Main Replacement project and describes how older cast iron water mains can contribute to discoloration, taste and odor concerns, and reduced water flow.

The item was submitted by Martha Tasker, Director of the Utilities Department, and asked commissioners to consider awarding a nearly $3 million water main replacement contract.

The 2025 Water Main Replacement Project

The City of Salina’s 2025 Water Main Replacement project includes replacing nearly two miles of water pipeline.

According to the city document, the project includes replacement of:

1,732 linear feet of 12-inch water pipeline2,033 linear feet of 8-inch water pipeline6,402 linear feet of 6-inch water pipelineFire hydrantsValvesWater service lines

Altogether, the project covers about 1.93 miles of water main replacement.

City staff recommended awarding the project to Mies Construction, Inc. of Wichita in an amount of $2,837,180, along with a 5% construction contingency of $141,859. That brought the total project authorization to an amount not to exceed $2,979,039.

What the City Says About Old Cast Iron Pipes

The city document says Salina’s water distribution system includes about 350 miles of water mains, with pipe sizes ranging from 2 inches to 30 inches.

Much of the original system was built from the early 1900s through the 1960s. The document states that the older water mains were made of cast iron and were not cement-lined.

According to the city, those old cast iron mains have rough interiors that can allow iron bacteria to attach. Over time, the pipes can also develop tuberculation, which is buildup inside the pipe.

That buildup can gradually restrict water flow.

The city document directly connects those older unlined cast iron mains to water discoloration, stating that they can cause “water flow discoloration due to corrosion products.”

Connection to Dirty Water Complaints

The city document does not say every case of discolored water in Salina is caused by old cast iron pipes.

However, it does identify old unlined cast iron water mains as a known source of discoloration, taste and odor concerns, and iron bacteria issues.

That makes the document relevant as residents raise concerns about dirty or discolored water in parts of the city.

The issue is not simply cosmetic. The same document says tuberculation can also reduce fire flows, especially in older, smaller water mains.

How Much Cast Iron Pipe Remains

According to the city document, Salina’s water system still includes about 182 miles of cast iron water mains.

That represents 52% of the city’s total water mains.

Of those cast iron mains, about 123 miles are 6 inches or smaller in diameter.

The document says tuberculation is especially problematic in water mains that are 6 inches or smaller, more than 50 years old, and located in areas where water moves slowly through the system.

Flushing Is Not a Permanent Fix

The city document says fire hydrant flushing and other cleaning methods can be used to reduce tuberculation.

However, it also says those methods are not permanent solutions.

According to the document, buildup inside the pipes can return quickly after cleaning. The city states that water main replacement becomes necessary when preventative maintenance is no longer effective.

That point is important in the current public discussion. If residents are seeing repeated discoloration in areas served by older pipe, the city’s own document indicates flushing may only provide temporary relief.

Cost of Replacement Has Increased

The 2025 document also shows that water main replacement has become significantly more expensive over time.

The 2025 project cost was listed at about $1.47 million per mile.

By comparison, the city’s listed total for previous water main replacement projects since 2010 was about $27.6 million for 43.98 miles, or an average of about $628,550 per mile.

That rising cost creates a larger challenge for the city as it works through an aging system with many miles of cast iron pipe still in service.

How the Work Is Funded

The document says water and wastewater rates are based on $4 million for water main replacements in 2025 and every other year after that.

The replacement work is funded through the water/wastewater capital reserve fund. The city document says that fund had a balance of approximately $10 million at the end of 2024.

Why This Matters Now

The 2025 pipe document gives residents and city leaders a public record to compare against current water quality concerns.

It shows the city has already identified aging cast iron water mains as a long-term infrastructure issue. It also shows the city recognizes that those pipes can contribute to discoloration, taste and odor complaints, and reduced water flow.

As Salina prepares for additional discussion on water quality concerns, the document raises a central question: how quickly can the city replace the aging pipe sections most likely to create repeat problems for residents?

The city’s own report makes clear that replacement is the long-term solution when maintenance is no longer effective.