The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded $14,715,000 in Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Loan (SRF) funding to the North Dakota Department of Health to support key water infrastructure projects, including new and upgraded wastewater and drinking water plants to ensure clean drinking and surface water, better serve residents, increase efficiency and reduce pollution.
EPA Regional Administrator Doug Benevento said, “Investing in our nation’s water infrastructure is one of EPA’s most fundamental priorities.”
In addition to the $14.7 million just funded, North Dakota’s water infrastructure projects are also funded with state match, repayments from prior SRF loans, and interest earnings. Several projects targeted for wastewater treatment as well as drinking water SRF loans include:
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$66 million for Grand Forks, N.D., to replace an aging water treatment plant with a new plant outside of the floodplain that will help treat source water of varying quality.
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$9.4 million for Larimore, N.D., to replace 6.2 miles of sewer lines and construct stormwater control projects to reduce flooding and infiltration into the sanitary sewer system.
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$2.4 million for Jamestown, N.D., to improve the wastewater treatment plant and for water main rehabilitation for drinking water.
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$1 million for the City of Oakes, N.D., to refinance a project to replace deteriorated sanitary sewer mains, as well as $365,000 for the relocation of the main lift station to avoid flooding.
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$1 million to Wahpeton, N.D., for the reconstruction of storm sewer and sanitary sewer mains to ensure sufficient capacity in both systems.
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$580,000 to Horace, N.D., to replace a drinking water main.
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$100,000 to Lidgerwood, N.D., for emergency sewer main repairs to prevent sewage backups.
The Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) program is a federal-state partnership that provides communities a permanent, independent source of low-cost financing for a wide range of water quality infrastructure projects. The CWSRF program provides low interest loans for the construction of wastewater treatment facilities and other projects vital to protecting and improving water quality in rivers, lakes and streams for drinking water, recreation and natural habitat. The loans help communities keep water and sewer rates more affordable while addressing local water quality problems.
