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UPDATE: Salina Commission Awards $2.16 Million Water Main Replacement Project

August 24, 2026 salina city commission, city of salina, Water Main Replacement

The Salina City Commission approved a $2.16 million water main replacement project for Diehl Enterprises, Inc. as part of the city's ongoing effort to replace aging cast iron water lines.

The project includes approximately 5,700 linear feet of water main in several areas of Salina, including portions of 10th and 11th streets, Dover Street and Larson Street.

City staff said Salina currently has about 338 miles of water main, including approximately 175 miles of cast iron pipe. Older unlined cast iron mains can corrode internally over time, weakening the pipe and eventually requiring replacement.

Four companies submitted bids for the work:

Diehl Enterprises: $2,059,778 — 365 days

Noack Construction: approximately $2.3 million — 335 days

Smoky Hill: approximately $2.5 million — 500 days

Meese Construction: approximately $3.75 million — 420 days

Diehl Enterprises submitted the lowest bid. Staff recommended awarding the project for $2,162,767, which includes a 5% contingency.

Mayor Mike Hoppock Recuses Himself

Before discussion of the project began, Mayor Mike Hoppock recused himself from the item and turned the meeting over to Vice Mayor Trent Davis.

Hoppock did not participate in the discussion or vote.

Questions About Diehl's Experience

Commissioners questioned Diehl Enterprises President Staton Diehl about the company's experience with water main work.

Diehl said the company recently completed water-related work near Ninth Street and I-70 in Salina, is currently installing water lines at Magnolia Hills, and is working on water services associated with the Eisenhower education project in Abilene. He also said the company has experience replacing existing water lines, including current work in Concordia.

Diehl said the company plans to complete the Salina project in phases rather than working on all three areas simultaneously.

Commissioners also asked city staff about Noack Construction, the second-lowest bidder. Utilities Director Martha Tasker said Noack performed water main replacement projects in Salina more than 10 years ago and that the company completed the work in a timely manner.

Tasker said change orders are common on water main projects because crews can encounter buried utilities, concrete, service lines and other conditions that were not known before construction began.

Public Raises Concerns

The project drew several comments from members of the public.

Ben Windholz questioned whether Diehl Enterprises had enough experience replacing water mains in established neighborhoods, arguing that work in an existing street can be more complicated than installing infrastructure in an undeveloped subdivision.

Windholz also raised concerns that unforeseen conditions and future change orders could ultimately increase the project's cost.

Diehl responded that he has performed water main replacement work throughout his career and said his company has expanded its staff in recent years specifically to bid and perform larger utility and infrastructure projects.

Other speakers questioned whether accepting the lowest bid would ultimately provide the lowest overall cost, citing concerns about previous city projects involving Diehl Enterprises.

Residents also questioned how the city evaluated the bidders. Tasker said staff reviewed the companies' previous work, contacted communities and customers that had worked with them, considered the experience of employees working for the companies and evaluated whether each contractor was capable of completing the project.

A resident encouraged the city to establish and publish more clearly defined objective criteria for evaluating contractors.

Questions About Delays and Subcontractors

During public comment, Kim Klukus of Salina asked what would happen if a contractor failed to complete the project within the timeframe included in its bid.

City staff said the contract includes daily damages that can be assessed if the project runs beyond the required completion period.

Klukus also reminded commissioners that the project is being paid for with taxpayer money and raised a question about whether a contractor awarded the bid could later subcontract portions of the work to another company if it became overloaded or unable to complete certain parts of the project.