Idaho Department of Environmental Quality awards 20 grants for water studies using federal funds

More than $1 million in funds from the federal American Rescue Plan Act have been granted to 20 municipalities across Idaho to plan improvements to drinking water and wastewater systems, according to a press release from the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality.

The American Rescue Plan dollars were allocated to the Department of Environmental Quality by Gov. Brad Little, who said in the release that families, farmers, ranchers and all Idaho residents rely on clean, efficient water and wastewater systems. The grants are used to develop engineering reports identifying the most cost effective, environmentally sound method of upgrading a system to achieve and maintain compliance with state and federal standards, the release said. Grants cover up to 50% of eligible planning costs, while the remaining cost is the grant recipient’s responsibility.

“Funding for these projects from my Leading Idaho plan aims to ensure that Idaho residents — especially those in our rural communities — can depend on our water and wastewater infrastructure for generations to come,” Little said in the release.

Grants for drinking water planning studies only were distributed to:

• Comore Loma Water Corporation, Inc. in Bonneville County – $40,000
• City of Driggs – $41,465
• City of East Hope – $35,000
• City of Grace – $30,000
• City of Lewiston – $60,000
• City of Pierce – $60,000
• City of Potlatch – $24,500
• City of Rexburg – $60,000
• City of Victor – $45,000
• Twenty Mile Creek Water Association, Inc. in Boundary County – $45,000

Grants for drinking water planning studies and wastewater planning studies were distributed to:

• City of Emmett – $50,000 for drinking water planning and $60,000 for wastewater planning
• City of New Plymouth – $40,000 for drinking water planning and $40,000 for wastewater planning
• City of Shelley – $25,000 for drinking water planning and $30,000 for wastewater planning
• Williams Lake Recreational Water and Sewer District – $27,000 for drinking water planning and $25,000 for wastewater planning

Grants for wastewater planning studies only were distributed to:

• City of Salmon – $25,491
• City of Jerome – $198,169
• City of Melba – $30,000
• City of Twin Falls – $145,000
• City of Weiser – $50,000
• Hoo Doo Harvard Water and Sewer District – $42,500

For more information about the grant program and to learn more about this year’s grant recipients, go to the department’s Facility Planning Grants page.