Day: November 3, 2010

ARRI act funds Colorado water projects

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Here’s a release from Governor Ritter’s office (Myung Oak Kim):

Gov. Bill Ritter today congratulated the town of Wiggins in Morgan County for securing $5.5 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for water system improvements. This is the second major Recovery Act award to Wiggins. In March, the U.S. Department of Agriculture awarded the Wiggins Telephone Association a grant and loan totaling $4.3 million to expand high-speed Internet to customers in the Weldon Valley.

“The Recovery Act is helping rural Colorado advance critical water infrastructure projects like the one in Wiggins to ensure access to safe drinking water and to improve public health,” Gov. Ritter said. “This is yet another way that the Recovery Act is creating jobs and lasting benefits to communities across Colorado.”

The town of Wiggins was awarded a $3,327,000 loan and a $2,252,000 grant through the USDA Rural Development Water and Environmental Program. This program distributes loans and grants to rural communities to improve water and wastewater infrastructure to provide safe drinking water and a cleaner environment. This was one of 89 projects worth $445 million announced today by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.

In August, the Town of Palisade on the West Slope secured $7.8 million in a loan and grant for water needs through the same program. Two other rural communities, Huajatolla Valley Estates in Huerfano County and Tranquil Acres in Teller County, also received grants and loans.

Colorado expects to receive at least $7.3 billion in Recovery Act funds over the next year or so. More information can be found at www.colorado.gov/recovery.

More infrastructure coverage here.

The American Water Works Association is heading up a study of supply and climate change

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Here’s the release from the AWWA (Greg Kail):

The American Water Works Association (AWWA) today announced it will lead a ground-breaking new study on how municipalities forecast water demand within the context of anticipated climate change.

The project, funded by a grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), will provide recommendations on how to improve current water demand forecasting and identify areas of essential future research.

The study includes an assessment of current computer models, workshops to identify knowledge gaps, development of research priorities, and recommendations for reducing risk through improved demand forecasting. The researchers will conduct model simulations at two drinking water utilities.
“This project is historic in its focus,” said AWWA Executive Director David LaFrance. “Most studies on climate change and drinking water have focused on the supply side, looking at water resources. The examination of water demand adds an important new perspective. AWWA is excited about the opportunity to help municipalities deal with the complex questions surrounding water demand and climate change.”

AWWA Director of Federal Relations Alan Roberson will serve as principal investigator for the project. Other members of the project team include faculty from George Washington University and the University of Colorado at Boulder, along with staff from the environmental facilitator, Kearns & West.
The project will take approximately two years to complete.

Boone turns dirt on new wastewater treatment plant

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From The Pueblo Chieftain (John Norton):

State and local officials were on hand Tuesday as ground was broken for a new wastewater treatment plant that will end the town’s noncompliance problems and provide for residential and commercial growth as more people come to work at the nearby Pueblo Chemical Depot. Most of the $1.6 million project was financed by Community Development Block Grant funds that came from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Boone borrowed $315,000 from the Colorado Water and Power Development Authority for its share and a $10,000 planning grant was provided by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

More wastewater coverage here and here.