C. Oregon water, sewer projects get $72 million in EPA loans
Includes irrigation canal piping, sewer line extension and improvements
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced Monday it has approved funding to support Oregon’s $35 million plan for key drinking water projects and $190 million plan to improve wastewater and irrigated agriculture infrastructure, to restore streams and to address nonpoint source pollution.
A sizable chunk of that money -- some $72 million -- is going to Central Oregon projects, including:
- $25 million for three city of Bend projects: $10 million for sewer extensions to 160 homes in a SE Bend neighborhood, $7.9 million for Newport Avenue drainage improvements, to reduce pollutants discharged to the Deschutes River and $7.5 million to replace the aging Drake sewer lift station, resolving expected capacity issues in the Korpine/Box Factory development area.
- $20 million for the Central Oregon Irrigation District’s plan to pipe nearly five miles of the 26-mile Pilot Butte Canal and nearly three miles of a 52-mile lateral irrigation canal.
- $8.8 million to the city of La Pine for wastewater system improvements, including expansion to Cable and Glenwood Acres to replace septic tanks, build a 22 million gallon storage lagoon and move the irrigation area to 210 acres of city-owned land.
- $2 million for the Lone Pine Irrigation District’s modernization project, piping all open canals and replacing an aging suspension bridge carrying water across the Crooked River with a siphon under the river.
- $650,000 to the city of Madras for a sewer main extension in three areas, replacing failing septic systems or dry wells.
- $16 million for the Swalley Irrigation District’s canal piping project.
The SE Bend sewer project in the Desert Wood/King Hezekiah area is set to begin early next month and extend through the spring-summer of 2021, according to city Project Engineer Lindsey Cromsight.
Bend Chief Financial Officer Sharon Wojda said the loan will be repaid primarily through sewer rates.
More information, including about a neighborhood meeting Wednesday night at the Larkspur Center, is at https://www.bendoregon.gov/city-projects/desert-wood-neighborhood-extension-projects
Here's the rest of the EPA announcement:
The sources of funding for Oregon’s Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Intended Use Plan include an $14.4 million grant from EPA (of which $9.4 million is available for projects), $2.8 million in state matching funds, along with interest earnings and repayments from previous DWSRF loans.
Similarly, the sources of funding for Oregon’s Clean Water State Revolving Fund Intended Use Plan include a $17.9 million grant from EPA, $3.5 million in state matching funds, along with $168 million in interest earnings and repayments from previous CWSRF loans.
“The state revolving fund program is essential to providing all Americans the clean and safe water they deserve,” said EPA Region 10 Administrator Chris Hladick. “EPA is very proud to support Oregon’s plan, and we remain committed to helping communities in the state with infrastructure improvements that protect their water resources and public health.”
The EPA’s Drinking Water State Revolving Fund program provides low-interest 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. 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 2020 DWSRF plan include:
- $2.1 million for the Crystal Springs/Odell Water Company consolidation project. This project will help address issues with nitrates and total coliform at the spring source used by Odell Water Company.
- $9.3 million for the City of Lakeview’s water treatment system improvements project. The project will include treatment for iron, manganese and arsenic, as well as replace distribution piping and make improvements to municipal wells.
- 614,150 for the City of Cannon Beach to complete a system wide water meter replacement project. More than 1,700 water meters will be replaced with automatic meters, which will save water system resources and help educate consumers about water consumption.
A full list of Oregon’s DWSRF projects to be funded can be found at:
https://www.oregon.gov/oha/PH/HEALTHYENVIRONMENTS/DRINKINGWATER/SRF/Pages/iup.aspx
Oregon DEQ’s Clean Water State Revolving Fund program offers below-market rate loans and bond purchases to public agencies for planning, design, construction and implementation of the following water quality improvement projects:
- Wastewater collection, treatment, water reuse and disposal systems
- Nonpoint source water pollution control projects
- Development and implementation of management plans for the Tillamook Bay and Lower Columbia River federally designated estuaries.
The state’s Intended Use Plan includes 29 loan applications for a total of $190,385,122 in requested funding. Wastewater projects in line to be funded include:
- $10.5 million to Baker City to design and construct a wastewater treatment facility and effluent disposal improvement to eliminate effluent discharge into the Powder River.
- $10 million to Bend to construct “Bend Septic Solutions” which will provide gravity sewers for a Southeast Bend neighborhood of approximately 160 homes that are currently using septic tanks.
- $9 million to Dallas to design and construct the Dallas WWTF Recycled Water Project. The city will use treated municipal wastewater for industrial paper manufacturing and system cooling as well as irrigation of a public park landscape. The project will reduce demand on the city's limited drinking water supply by an estimated 45%, because it will no longer need to be used for public park landscape irrigation.
- $38.8 million to Klamath Falls to design and construct the Spring Street Sewage Treatment Plant Upgrade. The project will help protect fish and aquatic life, improve infrastructure and meet future NPDES permit requirements for public health and water quality.
A full list of Oregon’s CWSRF projects to be funded can be found at:
https://www.oregon.gov/deq/wq/Documents/cwsrf-2020IUP.pdf
For more information about EPA’s State Revolving Fund Programs go to:
