Biz ‘Bite:’ DEQ awards nearly $31M to drinking water, wastewater systems across Idaho

The Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has announced the award of $30,304,970 in construction grants to nine drinking water and wastewater systems across the state as part of the American Rescue Plan Act funds directed by Gov. Brad Little.

According to Little, these investments from last year could potentially keep property taxes low.

“Property taxes are determined locally,” Little said in a statement. “But the investments we made in water and other infrastructure needs at the state level help relieve the burden on local government to cover costs of projects, improving the chances property owners won’t be burdened with the costs.”

Some of the top-awarded wastewater systems include:

• Camp Fire Inland Northwest Council was awarded nearly $1.6 million to install a new pump station, backup generator, replace outdated electrical systems, replace piping, install a supervisory control and data acquisition system and rehabilitate reservoirs, pressure reducing valves, a flow meter, booster station, booster pump and replace mains.
• City of Clark Fork was awarded approximately $7 million to refurbish current well sources, construct a new reservoir and replace pipes.
• Kingston-Cataldo Sewer District was awarded nearly $6.2 million to create a new land application treatment plan and lift station.
• Panhandle Village Water System was awarded about $3.1 million to help replace the current distribution system and install a water storage tank, new booster pumps, and a new water well.
• City of Rupert was awarded about $7.7 million to retrofit existing wells with pressure filtration, construct a new well with standby power, add pressure relief to an existing booster station, replace water mains and create and investigative sampling plan.