Communities Receive Recovery Funds for Wastewater Projects

(Lincoln, Neb.) Gov. Dave Heineman today announced the distribution of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funding for wastewater-related projects in Nebraska. Funding decisions were made in consultation with the Legislature’s Appropriations Committee.

The state expects to receive approximately $20 million in stimulus funds that can be used for improvements to wastewater treatment facilities, known as Clean Water projects. Funding will be administered by the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality (NDEQ) to improve wastewater infrastructure in communities identified as having significant needs.

“These projects meet two important criteria,” Gov. Heineman said. “They represent some of the most pressing needs for communities and are projects that are ready to move forward. In this case, stimulus funding will be combined with an existing loan program and help projects get started sooner.”

NDEQ annually surveys communities on wastewater infrastructure needs, prioritizes projects and awards low-interest loan funding in consultation with the Environmental Quality Council from a Clean Water State Revolving Loan Fund (CWSRF). Loans are typically used to build or upgrade wastewater treatment facilities and local sanitary sewer collection systems.

The $20 million in ARRA funds will be combined with $34 million from the CWSRF to provide cities with a combination of loan and grant funding. Sixteen communities will be offered a package including a 50 percent low interest loan from existing state CWSRF funding, a 25 percent no-interest loan of ARRA funds, and a 25 percent grant of ARRA funds. 

Leveraging of loan and grant funds will reduce the burden for taxpayer contributions to local wastewater projects. For example, a city receiving $4 million of combined funding would be responsible for repaying $3.4 million over 20 years.

Communities identified for wastewater upgrades include:

Ainsworth will install a new ultra violet (UV) disinfection system at a wastewater treatment facility.

Broken Bow will use funding to build a new mechanical wastewater treatment facility and upgrade existing pumping stations.

Cedar Bluffs will use funds to build a complete retention lagoon wastewater treatment facility that replaces a mechanical treatment plant.

Chadron will use funding to build a new mechanical treatment facility to replace an inadequate lagoon system.

Coleridge will install a new UV disinfection system and upgrade a wastewater treatment facility.

Dorchester will build a complete retention lagoon wastewater treatment facility that replaces an old mechanical treatment plant.

Gothenburg will expand sewer capacity.

Lincoln will conduct two projects including sewer repairs and construction to provide sewer service to new areas. A second project will renovate an existing wastewater treatment facility to improve efficiency.

Malcolm will replace old mechanical treatment plan with a new mechanical wastewater treatment facility.

Oakland will construct a new mechanical wastewater treatment facility to replace an old mechanical treatment plant.

Omaha receives funding for two projects. The first is to design and build infrastructure to separate storm water and sanitary sewer flows. The second renovates an existing wastewater treatment facility and increase treatment capacity.

Scottsbluff will renovate and modify existing wastewater treatment facilities.

Sidney will upgrade and replace parts of an existing mechanical wastewater treatment facility.

South Sioux City will build a new wastewater pumping station, force main and gravity sewer.

Tekamah will construct an additional lagoon cell and land application system.

Western will add a new UV disinfection system and make upgrades to a wastewater treatment facility.

MAP - Wastewater Projects (pdf 108kb)     GRANT INFO - Wastewater Projects (pdf 37kb)