Warm Springs gets grant to repair, preserve water system

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced Wednesday it has awarded a $447,000 “imminent threat” grant under its Indian Community Development Block Grant program to the federally recognized Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs in Central Oregon to repair and preserve its water system.

Specifically, the HUD funding will be used to repair two finishing pumps to insure a water supply for residents, in the imminent likelihood that a third pump will fail. Without any operative pumps, the 4,000 residents of the Warm Springs community would have no access to potable water and the community would be unable to extinguish wildland and other fires.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs in Portland has independently verified the need for repairs and the likelihood that the third pump may soon be inoperative.

The estimated cost of the repair is $850,000. In addition to the $447,000 HUD imminent threat award, the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Indian Health Service will provide $423,000 to the project. HUD funds will be release once the Confederated Tribes and HUD complete a grant agreement.

“Water is truly one of our most precious resources,” said HUD Northwest Regional Administrator Jeff McMorris . “Protecting that resource against imminent threats like systemic failure are the highest and most urgent priority for Warm Springs, not just for residents and their daily needs but also to protect the community against the increasing risk of wildland fire.

“We are pleased that the Indian Community Block Grant program provides HUD with the flexibility to quickly and effectively respond to emergent needs of this sort.”

HUD imminent threat grants are a component of the Indian Community Development Block Grant program authorized by the Native American Housing and Self Determination Act.

Imminent threat funds are provided to help federally recognized Tribes and villages that request them to address threats that “represent a non-recurring, unique or unusual circumstance” and “no funds from other tribal or Federal sources are available to address the problem.”

Grants of up to $450,000 may be awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis in most circumstances and may be up to $900,000 in presidentially declared disaster areas.

The ICDBG Program provides eligible grantees – an Indian tribe, band, group, or nation (including Alaska Indians, Aleut, and Eskimos) or Alaska Native village which has established a relationship to the federal government – with direct grants for use in developing viable Indian and Alaska Native Communities, including decent housing, a suitable living environment, and economic opportunities, primarily for low- and moderate-income persons. Most ICDBG funds are awarded in a national competition every year.