Local water district receiving grant

The West Bonner Water & Sewer District is receiving two $17, 500 grants, totaling $35,000. The grants are among $285 million earmarked by the state to benefit 63 communities for the projects

The investments “could help local governments keep property taxes low as they formulate their budgets this summer and fall,” Gov. Brad Little said in a press release.

The Idaho Board of Environmental Quality approved the Department of Environmental Quality’s “criteria and fundable list.”

“The 63 communities identified will receive more than $285 million in funds for water infrastructure projects” from funds allocated to the “Leading Idaho” initiative.

“The DEQ also provided almost $6 million for engineering planning studies for 136 water projects.”

“Water is our most valuable resource, and we absolutely must keep up the infrastructure [to] ensure water is clean and plentiful for this generation and future ones,” Little said.

Of the 63 projects on the approved grant list, 31 are in the Coeur d’Alene DEQ region, including the two projects in Bonner County.

The state approved a drinking water planning grant for West Bonner Water & Sewer District, which will cover half of the anticipated cost to update the facility plan to address future growth, aging infrastructure, and develop a capital improvement plan.

The West Bonner Water & Sewer district also received a wastewater planning grant to cover half of the expected costs to evaluate construction of a treatment facility independent of the city of Newport, Washington.