The De Smet Common Council held a special meeting on May 27, 2026 to receive a formal water infrastructure study presentation from Helms & Associates engineers. The study evaluated the city’s water source, storage and 14-mile distribution system, identifying key issues including iron and manganese levels, aging cast iron and asbestos cement pipe, and pressure/flow concerns relative to demand and the existing 100,000-gallon water tower. Helms outlined three strategic alternatives: doing nothing, connecting to Kingbrook Rural Water, or constructing a city water treatment plant, noting the tradeoff between initial capital cost and ongoing annual costs and staffing/certification needs. The next step identified was submitting the preferred solution options to the State Water Plan for review, indicating the city is entering a planning and funding phase prior to any procurement. This creates a near-term opening for firms that support water treatment design, distribution system rehab, grant/loan packaging, and operational staffing/planning to help the city refine alternatives and prepare for capital project implementation.

Installing a city treatment plant would require additional certification for the water superintenden...