Billings, Montana Water and Wastewater Treatment Systems Chosen to Receive ARRA Funds

6/19/2009 -- (Helena) – Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer and the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) have chosen the City of Billings water and wastewater systems for low interest loans and funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA).

The funds will be used to replace old and undersized water and sewer mains within the city. The new lines will reduce leakage and improve the reliability of the water distribution and wastewater collection systems.

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“Upgrading infrastructure to meet growing demand is a good investment for the City of Billings,” said Governor Brian Schweitzer. “I’m pleased that the ARRA funds are available for this important project.”

Billings city officials and their engineer, Morrison Maierle, have worked with the DEQ and the Department of Natural Resources (DNRC) to pull together funding for the projects. The wastewater improvements will be funded with a $6.137 million low interest loan from the DEQ’s Water Pollution Control State Revolving Fund (WPCSRF). This loan includes $750,000 of ARRA funds with $390,700 in principal forgiveness. The water system improvements will be funded with $2.135 million in city funds and $3.5 million from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF). The DWSRF loan includes $750,000 of ARRA funds with $416,300 in principal forgiveness.

Construction on the project is expected to be complete in November 2009. Typical ARRA loan terms through the WPCSRF program are for 20 years.

The DEQ’s State Revolving Fund programs loan money to public entities across the state, helping communities and organizations undertake a variety of water quality improvement projects. The DEQ, in conjunction with the DNRC, awards about $20 million to $40 million each year. The loan programs are supported in part by annual grants from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

For more information about the Water Pollution Control State Revolving Fund or ARRA funds being distributed by the DEQ please visit the department website at www.deq.mt.gov.

Source: Montana Governor