March 20, 2009
Friday Headlines: Calif. Communities Want Stimulus Funds for Water Projects
In California, the demand for stimulus funds for water and sewer projects is much greater than the money available. The Department of Public Health has received 2,274 drinking water project proposals with a total value of $6.8 billion, but California can expect to receive only $168 million from the federal stimulus. On the wastewater side, the State Water Resources Control Board is in a similar position, with $280 million to distribute and initial requests that already surpass $1 billion.
Headlines
State legislators in Eastern Oklahoma are encouraging area municipalities to apply for stimulus funds for water and sewer infrastructure projects. The economic stimulus includes $31 million each for Oklahoma’s CWSRF and DWSRF programs, and also includes $70 million for USDA Rural Development’s Water and Wastewater loans and grants.
Jeffersonville, Indiana sewer customers are likely to see their rates double in the next two to four years as the city makes $47.6 million in improvements to its sewer system to eliminate frequent overflows after heavy rains and comply with federal mandates.
Next month, Lansing, Michigan will roll out the next phase of its Combined Sewer Overflow project. Lansing is in the 18th year of a 30-year plan to eliminate sewer overflows from entering into the Grand River.
Following up on a story from Wednesday, it will cost the city of Springfield, Massachusetts more than $500,000 to repair Wednesday’s water main break that spilled more than 5.5 million gallons of water.
Sewer Rate News
Fremont, Ohio
Lakemore, Ohio
Liberty Center, Iowa
