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Dollars Approved for Water Supply Projects
The State Water Commission recently agreed to provide an additional $32 million in state grant funds to support critical water supply
projects in three western North Dakota cities. The commission will tap available funding within the Resources Trust Fund to provide cost-share
grants for water supply projects in Dickinson, Watford City and Williston, ND.
In December, the Water Commission began work to expand a grant program so that more water supply projects qualify for state assistance.
The expanded program recently approved by the Water Commission makes cities eligible for state grants for water supply projects based on
population growth and financial need.
As part of the expanded grant program, the Water Commission agreed to provide state funding for 35 percent of engineering costs for
pre-construction work, 60 percent of construction engineering costs, and 60 percent of the construction costs for approved water supply projects.
The grants approved by the Water Commission were:
• Dickinson: $18.4 million for new water transmission lines, a pumping station, water storage facility and other water supply infrastructure;
• Watford City: $6.7 million for two new water towers, new water transmission lines and other improvements; and
• Williston: $6.95 million for new water transmission lines and engineering services.
County Road Officials
Talk Local Road Issues
Western county road superintendents
and local officials exchanged ideas on best
practice for gravel roads at the LTAP-organized
roundtable meeting recently held in
Killdeer, ND. State Department of Transportation
(DOT) officials discussed federal
grants that were available.
Bill Anderson, the west county road
coordinator, talked about success stories in
the field and the types of products being
used. The North Dakota Association of Oil
& Gas Producing Counties (NDAOGPC)
has paid $19,000 per year for three years as
part of a matching grant to hire Bill Anderson
to help counties learn from each other.
Please take advantage of Bill’s expertise.
Vicky Steiner, the NDAOGPC’s executive
director, spoke to the group about the March
12 Uniform County Truck permit meeting in
Watford City. The trucking industry wants
to know about spring load permit fees and
if counties can work toward uniformity. The
NDAOGPC runs a uniform county truck
permit system year-round so truckers can go
online, purchase a self-issuing permit and pay
for an overweight, non-divisible load permit
for use on a county road.
Dave Leftwich, DOT west coordinator,
encouraged counties to learn from each other.
Stark County highway superintendent, Al
Heiser, says his county saved $1 million by
mixing a higher-grade gravel with existing
stock. The wet weather, soil type, crush of the
gravel, the application of water, and the use
of health department-approved brine water
were also discussed. Attendees were advised to
work with your gravel crusher to do the job
for the lowest cost. Some counties recognize
they will need to bring gravel from greater distances
as they compete with the energy and
construction industries for aggregate.
BASIN BITS | Spring 2014 131