TEA, S.D. (KELO.com) – Bureau of Reclamation officials notified the Lewis & Clark Regional Water System Thursday that it will be receiving $75.5 million in FY22 from the Bipartisan Infrastructure
Law.
“This is a record-setting amount of funding for Lewis & Clark and will allow us to move forward with a record amount of construction this year!” said Executive Director Troy Larson.
The BIL includes $1 billion for seven authorized rural water projects. Reclamation is allocating $420 million in FY22. The remaining $580 million will be allocated over the next four years based on the construction capabilities of the seven projects. Lewis & Clark will be eligible to receive additional BIL funding again next year. Funding from the BIL, as well as the $21.914 million recently approved in the FY22 Omnibus Appropriations Bill, will allow Lewis & Clark to award contracts for the remaining 32 miles of pipeline for the Madison service line, the 17 miles of pipeline between Hull and Sheldon, meter buildings at Sheldon and Sibley, a pump station near Hull, a ground storage reservoir near Madison and adding more lime drying beds at the water treatment plant, as well as designing the Sibley service line and acquiring easements.
Lewis & Clark was incorporated in January 1990 and its congressional authorization was signed into law in July 2000. It is a non-profit wholesale provider of water to its member cities and rural water systems in southeast SD, northwest IA and southwest MN. The System will benefit over 350,000 people when completed. It is estimated to currently be 86% complete. Water is being delivered to 15 members. Hull and Sioux Center will begin receiving water by late 2022/early 2023. It is anticipated Sheldon and Madison should begin receiving water by late 2023/early 2024, and Sibley by late 2024/early 2025.
(The LCRWS contributed this report/news release.)
