BERESFORD, S.D. (AP) - Work will begin next year to connect northwest Iowa communities to a regional water system that city officials hope will help keep water rates and accessibility stable.
The Lewis & Clark Regional Water System is preparing to add nearly 34 miles (55 kilometers) of pipeline that will run from Beresford, South Dakota, to the Iowa cities of Sioux Center and Hull, The Sioux City Journal reported . The system serves Iowa, South Dakota and Minnesota. It first began delivering water in 2012 after years of construction.
Officials in Sioux Center and Hull said connecting to the Lewis & Clark system will help stabilize water rates and ensure there is enough water for new or expanding businesses.
“It really helps the sustainability of the community as we grow. It gives us a future reliable source of water,” said Dennis Dokter, assistant Sioux Center city manager and community development director. “Our current system is reliable. This will just enhance it.”
Sioux Center has its own well field and water system, while Hull receives water from the Rock Valley Rural Water District.
Lewis & Clark awarded a $9.2 million contract for the first 11.2-mile (18-kilometer) section of the project this year, said Troy Larson, the executive director of Lewis & Clark. Work on that portion will begin in the spring and finish in the fall, he said.
The water system is expected to award contracts for two more sections of the project next year, which are estimated to cost about $25 million in total. The system will also need to build a meter building, a water tower and additional pumps before water can be pumped to the two cities.
Sioux Center and Hull should begin receiving water by 2022 if federal funding stays consistent, Larson said.
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