Water service has been temporarily shut off along Memorial Highway from 36th Avenue SE to 46th Avenue SE, affecting properties as far south as 19th Street SE, while crews address a break discovered during reconstruction work. The city reports service restoration is in progress.
The disruption comes amid the Memorial Highway reconstruction project, which is replacing utilities including water mains and preparing for new road surfaces. The notice states the water main was struck during construction, triggering the shutoff.
Municipal records show this isn’t the first time Mandan faces aging infrastructure challenges; in recent years, multiple water main breaks have plagued older cast-iron pipes.
Just earlier, Mandan crews rushed to repair three water main breaks near First Ave NW to Main Street and First St NW, leaving some without water temporarily.
Residents and business owners in the SE corridor of Mandan should brace for low or no water supply during repair windows.
Commuters using Memorial Highway must navigate construction zones and potential utility work delays.
Bismarck-area residents may see ripple effects if contractors or shared resources are reallocated to this project.
This shutoff shines a spotlight on Mandans’ decades-old infrastructure, echoing wider concerns about long-term maintenance and investment.
“We do not yet have an estimate for full restoration,” said the Memorial Highway project team in a city notice.
“The mains are from the 1950s — notoriously brittle. One break often triggers others,” warned Shane O’Keefe, Mandan’s Public Works Director, in an earlier report on pipe failures.
A nearby resident who asked to remain anonymous shared: “We turned on faucets this morning and got nothing. No notice until after crews came.” (interviewed via neighborhood social media)
City officials aim to restore water service as soon as possible and will update residents through municipal channels.
In the meantime:
Expect temporary outages or reduced pressure
Stay alert to city alerts and updates via official newsletters
This episode underscores the urgent need for infrastructure upgrades
For readers across Bismarck and Mandan, this is more than a one-day inconvenience—it’s a warning about how aging systems can ripple through daily life.
