Des Moines, Iowa — Board members of the Lewis & Clark Regional Water System are optimistic that another federal funding advance will be forthcoming from the State of Iowa, and that will make connecting more systems in our area possible.
The Lewis & Clark Regional Water System is delivering Missouri River Aquifer water to several communities and rural water systems. But most of the northwest Iowa systems are not yet connected, due to the federal funding being slow to come in over the years. That’s why the system has turned to the Iowa, Minnesota, and South Dakota legislatures and have asked for them to give the system an advance on the federal funds, to be repaid when the federal government comes through with the funding.
Northwest Iowa board members of Lewis & Clark were recently at the Statehouse in Des Moines. Lewis & Clark Executive Director Troy Larson tells us about it.
He says this year, they’re asking for less.
Larson tells us that the Iowa House and Senate will both need to pass the infrastructure bill and the governor will need to sign it yet. He says if the advance is approved, it will have four benefits — all to systems in our primary coverage area.
Larson says typically the infrastructure bills are approved in May. He says they’re optimistic but are not taking anything for granted at this time.
Photo caption: Rep. John Wills (Spirit Lake), Rep. Dan Huseman (Aurelia), Larry Pedley (Sibley), Troy Larson (Sioux Falls), Scott Wynja (Sioux Center), Rep. Skyler Wheeler (Orange City), Todd Uhl (Sheldon), and Jim Collins (Hull).
