The Bureau of Reclamation announced Monday that the Lewis & Clark Regional Water System is receiving $60 million in FY23 from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). Combined with the $18.6 million included in the FY23 Appropriations Bill that was signed into law in December, it brings total FY23 funding to $78.6 million for ongoing construction of the tristate drinking water project.
Lewis & Clark Executive Director Troy Larson says the $60 million will be used for the Sibley service line, Sibley meter building and Phase 3 of the water treatment plant. Among other things, Phase 3 includes two more solids contact basins, a second gravity thickener and another lime slaker. He says this funding doesn’t complete the 44.19 million gallons per day base system, but he says it gets them really close. Depending on the FY24 funding levels from the Appropriations Bill and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Larson is hoping next year will be the last year federal funding is needed for the base system.
