EPA grants $52 million to Washington for water infrastructure

SEATTLE — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced in a press release Thursday it will help fund Washington’s $22 million plan for key drinking water projects and $253.5 million plan to improve wastewater infrastructure.

In addition to this round of funding, Congress recently passed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act /Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which will inject another $152 million into Washington’s two State Revolving Fund programs in 2022.

The EPA’s Drinking Water State Revolving Fund program provides below-market-rate loans for the construction of drinking water treatment facilities and other projects and activities vital to ensuring the delivery of clean and safe drinking water at the tap, according to the release. The loans help communities keep water rates more affordable while addressing local water infrastructure challenges. Similarly, the Clean Water State Revolving Fund helps states fund large wastewater and other water quality projects.

Some of the projects to be funded in the state’s 2021-2022 drinking water plan include:

• $2,455,000 to the Kitsap Public Utility District No. 1 to fund the consolidation of the Bill Point water system and address aging infrastructure.

• $2,012,546 to the city of Omak to install arsenic treatment at the Julia Maley Park Well. The treatment will also remove high levels of iron.

• $5,050,000 to Skagit County Public Utility District #1 to help fund the Judy Reservoir to Mount Vernon Transmission Line, Phase II project. This project will replace the five-mile-long primary transmission main that is undersized and failing.

• $1,234,500 to the Kiona West Heights Association to replace the community’s only well. The project includes drilling a new well, constructing a new well house, and installing chlorination. The community qualifies for disadvantaged assistance, so half of the loan amount will be forgiven.

The state’s list of wastewater projects to be funded include:

• $3,126,183 to the city of Brewster for infrastructure within the collection system and at the wastewater treatment plant that are not operating with reliability. The community qualifies for disadvantaged assistance.

• $1024,090 to Chelan County Public Utilities District for improvements to the Dryden wastewater treatment facility. The improvements will benefit the Wenatchee river. The community qualifies for disadvantaged assistance.

• $424,250 to the city of Harrington for modification of the city of Harrington wastewater plant. The modifications will eliminate leaks from treatment lagoons, prevent nearby water contamination, eliminate the odors from sludge and reduce operating costs. The community qualifies for disadvantaged assistance.

• $9,004,053 to the city of Stevenson Public Works for two projects. The first is upgrades and expansion of the wastewater treatment plant and pump stations. The second is an addition of approximately 900 linear feet of the collection system. The community qualifies for disadvantaged assistance.

• $242,666 to Yakima County Public Services Department for Buena wastewater treatment facility improvements. The project will upgrade the wastewater treatment facility and provide hardware to improve facility monitoring and reliability. The community qualifies for disadvantaged assistance.