A failed sewer line in Homestead Village caused raw sewage to back up into a home, forcing engineers to order emergency repairs before the project had even been bid. The situation was outlined to Ray County commissioners at a recent meeting as part of a broader update on infrastructure projects and federal compliance requirements. Engineer Connie Walden told the commission the damaged section was part of a planned wastewater system upgrade but could not wait for standard bidding and award procedures due to health and safety concerns. “The pipe was failed and not transmitting the sewage water downstream,” said Walden. “There was sewage up into one of the houses.” The county’s project attorney cautioned that reimbursement under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) could still be possible, but only if the emergency expense meets all procurement and documentation requirements. “If it’s under the federal threshold on the simplified acquisition amount, you just have to follow your own…