The City of Salina is proposing millions of dollars in continued investment in its water system in 2027, including $4 million specifically designated for waterline improvements.

The spending is included in the city's draft 2027 budget and Capital Improvement Program and is not yet the final adopted budget. Funding amounts and projects remain subject to change before final action by the Salina City Commission.

Under the proposal, total Water and Wastewater Fund expenditures would reach approximately $29.69 million in 2027, up from about $28.42 million budgeted for 2026 — an increase of approximately $1.26 million, or 4.45%.

A major component of the city's infrastructure plan is $4 million for waterline improvements in 2027.

According to the city's proposed Capital Improvement Program, the $4 million project would be paid for with cash from the Utility Capital Reserve Fund, rather than through property-tax-supported borrowing.

The investment comes as Salina maintains an extensive network of underground infrastructure.

According to the city, the water distribution system includes approximately 335 miles of water mains, eight elevated water storage tanks, five pressure booster pump stations and more than 20,200 water services and meters.

The Utilities Department identifies the annual replacement of water mains as one of its current objectives.

The draft budget also proposes a $2 million transfer to the Water/Wastewater Capital Reserve Fund specifically to continue funding water-main replacements.

That reserve plays an important role in how Salina finances major utility infrastructure. Rather than borrowing the entire cost of waterline projects, the city's 2027 capital plan calls for using accumulated utility reserve cash for the $4 million waterline program.

The city appears to be planning for continued waterline work beyond 2027.

The five-year Capital Improvement Program identifies another $4 million in waterline improvements in 2029 and an additional $4 million in 2031, also proposed to be funded with Utility Capital Reserve cash.

If those projects remain in future capital plans, the three identified years would represent $12 million in waterline improvements between 2027 and 2031.

Additional Utility Infrastructure Spending

Waterline replacement is only part of the Utilities Department's proposed spending.

The draft budget also includes $2 million for system enhancements and $500,000 for vehicle replacements.

The budget does not provide a detailed breakdown on the summary pages identifying every individual project included in the $2 million system-enhancement allocation.

Water Distribution operations themselves are budgeted at approximately $2.73 million in 2027, while Water Operations, which includes treatment operations, are budgeted at approximately $4.12 million.

Salina operates both the Downtown Water Treatment Plant and the South Water Treatment Plant.

The city says its primary water treatment system can treat as much as 20 million gallons of raw water per day, drawing water from both the Smoky Hill River and groundwater wells.

Water Revenue Projected to Increase

The proposed budget also shows a significant increase in the amount of revenue Salina expects to collect from water customers.

Water-charge revenue is projected at approximately $13.05 million in 2027, compared with $11.91 million budgeted for 2026.

That is an increase of approximately $1.14 million, or 9.5%.

Total Water and Wastewater Fund revenue is projected to increase from approximately $23.94 million to $24.90 million.

The budget pages do not clearly identify how much of the increase in projected water-charge revenue is attributable to rates, increased consumption, customer growth or other assumptions.

That distinction could be important for Salina utility customers as commissioners consider the spending plan.

Unlike most traditional city departments, the Water and Wastewater Fund is an enterprise fund, meaning the system is primarily supported by fees and charges paid by utility customers rather than the city's general property-tax-supported operating fund.

The Utilities Department employs 62 people and is responsible for water treatment, water distribution, wastewater treatment and wastewater collection.

In addition to 335 miles of water mains, the department oversees approximately 235 miles of gravity sanitary sewer mains, more than 20 miles of sewer force mains, 4,930 manholes and 60 wastewater pump stations.

The city's draft identifies annual water-main replacement as an ongoing objective, along with rehabilitation of the Wastewater Treatment Plant to meet current environmental standards.

The proposed investments come as the city continues the long-term task of maintaining and replacing an underground system containing hundreds of miles of pipe.

Again, the figures are contained in Salina's draft 2027 budget and are not final. The City Commission may revise projects, funding levels or other portions of the spending plan before adopting the final 2027 budget.