Senate OKs Rural Water funding bill

About 750 households of western Stutsman County, including those in the communities of Woodworth and Streeter, can look forward to a new water source this summer.

House Bill 1269, providing $9.97 million in grants for Stutsman Rural Water District, passed the Senate Wednesday by a 43-4 margin. The bill included an emergency provision providing the funding immediately after the governor’s signature.

The bill previously passed the House by an 85-3 margin.

Voting against the bill in the Senate were Democrats John Grabinger, Jamestown, Philip Murphy, Portland, Carolyn Nelson, Fargo, and Connie Triplett, Grand Forks.

“We expect the governor to sign it Friday,” said Geneva Kaiser, Stutsman Rural Water District manager. “This is fantastic for the rural people. This project has nothing to do with Jamestown and it made no sense not to fund it.”

The grant had become an issue within the territorial conflict between the city of Jamestown and Stutsman Rural Water when Jamestown Mayor Katie Andersen testified during committee hearings she could not support the bill unless it included an amendment that would facilitate the transfer of territory from Rural Water to the city.

With passage of the bill, Rural Water anticipates beginning to advertise for construction bids within 30 days with construction slated to begin as soon as feasible this spring.

The project’s total estimated cost is about $14 million with the remaining funds borrowed from U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development.

Sun reporter Keith Norman can be reached at 701-952-8452 or by email at knorman@jamestownsun.com

Tags: local news, news, water