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HEADLINES
Water projects among the first as ARRA money hits ground
Editor's Note: See link below to comment on this article.  | | Water utilities are getting the smaller ARRA projects underway soonest. Stock photo |
As stimulus-funded shovels start turning over across the country, water projects are leading the way.
Backers of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which was signed into law by President Barack Obama in February, said that it would take months before federal dollars made their way into utilities' pockets and work could begin. By late July and early August, work was under way on projects nationwide. Most of the projects under construction so far are on the smaller side — the Aug. 4 groundbreaking on an $80,000 project to replace six main valves in Smyrna, Del. is typical — and many utilities report project bids coming in lower than anticipated as contractors scramble for the work. Through the Delaware Office of Drinking Water, Smyrna was awarded a stimulus loan for six projects totaling about $3.8 million. Under the loan's terms, about 52 percent of the loan's principal will be waived upon completion, saving the town more than $1.9 million. The town's engineer, Ryan Flickinger of KCI Technologies, said that two other projects are also under way, a water main replacement in one part of town and the replacement of services for 160 customers in another. Both projects would have been tough sells without the stimulus funding. "I don't know that we could have done them at all, really," Flickinger said. "Especially the way the economy was looking six or seven months ago. The stimulus gave us the opportunity to do some things we probably couldn't have otherwise." Another project that may not have happened without stimulus funding is a new treatment plant in Auburn, Maine. The $7.7 million disinfectant facility, which uses ultraviolet light instead of chemicals, received a grant covering 30 percent of the costs and interest-free loans for the rest. When the plant starts operating in 2011, it will meet federal standards requiring all municipal water supplies to use two disinfectant methods. Lewiston - Auburn's water is currently treated with chlorine and ammonia. The cities' consultants had evaluated 64 options for a secondary disinfection process to meet the requirements of the Long term Surface Water Treatment Rule Phase 2. Another town, Fort Madison, Iowa, broke ground on a new treatment plant last week. The $22 million reverse-osmosis water plant should be operational in the fall of next year, with a 5-mgd (18,900 m3/d) capacity expandable to 8 mgd (30,300 m3/d). The current plant has a capacity of only 3.8 mgd (14,400 m3/d) and suffers from other deficiencies, including inadequate flood protection, facility security problems and chlorine contact time. Fort Madison received more than $4.2 million in federal and state funding, including a $2 million forgivable ARRA loan, another $340,000 in stimulus funds, a $914,100 federal state and tribal assistance grant and a $972,000 state community development block grant. The rest of the project will be paid for with a 3 percent interest loan from the Iowa drinking water state revolving loan fund and a city contribution of $350,000. Fort Madison's Water Services Director, Larry Dinwiddie, called the stimulus money essential in getting the plant built without further rate hikes, and helping to ensure the city's economic future. "It's critical to attracting businesses, creating jobs and maintaining a great quality of life," Dinwiddie said. "[The new plant] means a lot to this whole part of the state." Groundbreaking events for stimulus projects have also given elected officials a chance to take credit for voting for the ARRA, derided by some as a massive government porkfest. Iowa senators Tom Harkin (D) and Charles Grassley (R) both sent letters to Fort Madison's groundbreaking; appearing in person at the Auburn ceremony, Sen. Susan Collins (R), made sure her constituents knew she voted for it. "It's exactly the kind of infrastructure project I envisioned," she told the crowd. "It puts people back to work right now; it creates jobs and it delivers lasting benefits to the community." Additional AWWA Resources
Dave Plank, Senior Writer
Posted: 08/18/2009
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