GF waste water plan advances to state

Grand Forks is ready to send-off a facility plan on wastewater treatment to the North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality.

The city council approved the $45 million dollar concept project last night.  Wastewater rates will likely climb 3% annually to help pay for the upgrade.  City Administrator Todd Feland says these types of systems tend to have about a 20 year lifespan.  “Each generation pays for the use of their treatment plant and so if you’ve been around here for 20 years we will exhaust about $31 million in debt this fall in anticipation of that being paid off.”

Council member Ken Vien says the city has done well with the current plant and this is a natural progression based on new technologies.  “It’s different than treating water….I am somewhat pleased that we got the kind of use out of that plant.”

The council approved the updated plan on a seven-zero vote.