ST. PAUL A coalition made up of labor, environmental groups, cities and other representatives from Minnesota is asking lawmakers to fund clean water projects in the State. These include lead pipe and infrastructure repairs. Officials estimate that these projects could cost billions over the next few decades.
With more than 200 cities planning water infrastructure-related projects, the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities, Conservation Minnesota, and the LiUNA Minnesota & North Dakota, gathered at the state Capitol on Wednesday, March 16, to make an appeal to lawmakers for transformational levels of funding.
According to officials from the Minnesota Department of Health and the Minnesota Pollution Control, the state will need $12.5 billion to meet its waste and water needs over the next 20-years. A bipartisan bonding proposal was presented in both chambers by the Legislature. It calls for almost $300 million in funding for water infrastructure. It also removes a $7million cap for a water infrastructure grant program. It also includes $80 million in general funds requests.
The bill is being carried by Rochester Democratic-Farmer-Labor Rep. Liz Boldon in the House and Sen. Andrew Lang, R-Olivia, in the senate.
Steve King, Austin Mayor, stated that the legislation will benefit smaller cities and is essential to maintaining the state’s water quality.
He said that Austin and other cities play a key role in making sure Minnesota’s water quality is high through stormwater and wastewater systems. Cities find it more difficult to maintain these systems as they age and new regulations are created.
King stated that $86.2 million will be required to upgrade the city’s water system to meet new Minnesota Pollution Control Agency requirements. King also explained that residents in the city have already seen a 75% increase of wastewater treatment rates.
This is an expensive project for our community. We are asking the state for help so that we don’t have to shoulder the entire cost burden of our citizens and businesses. If we don’t receive state funding for this project, the potential rate rise will be so severe that it could discourage people and businesses from settling in Austin. Although our city is willing to pay its fair share, we need financial support from the state to complete the job.
The cities coalition, labor, and environmental groups stated that there are other projects in need of funding. These include a $21.1million wastewater treatment plant upgrade in Willmar. This would remove manganese and other harmful minerals from the water supply. A $1.27 million project in Perham would replace failing water infrastructure in an area with aging housing stock.
They are also backing a bipartisan proposal for replacing lead pipes in Minnesota. This project could cost half a million dollars over the next ten years. Although it is not clear how many lead water mains are still in Minnesota, the state health department estimates that between 100,000 and 260,000 of them are still delivering water to Minnesotans.
The mapping and identification of remaining lead pipes is an important part of the solution. This project would cost approximately $10 million. Rep. Sydney Jordan (DFL-Minneapolis) authored a bill to appropriate that amount to cities, public water suppliers, and $30 million per annum over the next ten years to replace the lines. Mountain Lake Republican Rep. Rod Hamilton, R-Minneapolis, has joined the authorship of the bill. Sen. David Senjem R-Rochester also supports it.
