Rural Water funding bill passes House

The North Dakota House of Representatives approved a bill Friday that provides $9.97 million in grants for Stutsman Rural Water District’s expansion project. The vote was 85 in favor with 3 no votes and six absent or not voting.

The bill included an emergency provision that required a two-thirds majority. The emergency clause allows the funding to be made available as soon as the bill is signed by the governor. This could be as early as this month or March and would allow construction to start this spring.

The bill was contested in the House Appropriations Committee when Jamestown Mayor Katie Andersen said she could not support the measure unless it provided wording to facilitate the transfer of contested territory from Rural Water to the city of Jamestown.

Jamestown and Rural Water continue to be embroiled in a territorial dispute involving the area around Jamestown Regional Medical Center including the Titan Machinery construction site.

The bill will fund a portion of about a $14 million expansion bringing water to about 750 families in the Woodworth to Streeter areas of western and northern Stutsman County.

The bill will now move on to the Senate for consideration.

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