Stutsman Rural Water gets grant for project
The Stutsman Rural Water District approved an engineering agreement for Phase 2 of its expansion at its regular meeting Tuesday. The $600,000 agreement with Bartlett & West of Bismarck follows the awarding of a $6.8 million grant to the district from the North Dakota Water Commission.By: Keith Norman, The Jamestown Sun
The Stutsman Rural Water District approved an engineering agreement for Phase 2 of its expansion at its regular meeting Tuesday. The $600,000 agreement with Bartlett & West of Bismarck follows the awarding of a $6.8 million grant to the district from the North Dakota Water Commission.
“Everyone was surprised,” said Geneva Kaiser, system manager for the district. “The grant awards weren’t supposed to be made until September or October.”
The grant facilitates a large-scale construction project in northern Stutsman and southern Foster counties. The project includes 300 miles of water pipeline providing water service to 312 service units including 42 homes in Woodworth.
“Construction could start yet this fall,” said Bob Keller, Bartlett & West project manager. “We should see completion next year.”
The total project cost is $9.8 million with the water commission grant covering 70 percent. The remaining funds will be borrowed from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development.
The water district remains at an impasse with the city of Jamestown concerning water service to the Jamestown Regional Medical Center.
The JRMC has requested Stutsman Rural Water District serve as a backup or redundant source to the hospital. The Jamestown City Council has requested the rural water district surrender some of its service territory in the vicinity of the hospital to the city in exchange for allowing a connection to the JRMC, which is within city limits.
“I look at this as a community service,” said Terry Nieland, chairman of the water district board. “We shouldn’t have to give up territory to provide a service to the community.”
Kaiser distributed an email from Katie Andersen, Jamestown mayor, suggesting a representative of the City Council would attend the water district meeting. No representative of the city attended.
“The ball is in their court,” Kaiser said. “It’s up to the hospital and what the city allows them to do. We just wait and see if they contact us.”
Sun reporter Keith Norman can be reached at (701) 952-8452 or by email at knorman@jamestownsun.com
Tags: local news, rural water, news
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