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Sindhuja Pillai-Grinolds, director of the Water Development Division, speaks to a House Appropriations subcommittee Thursday regarding progress on the Northwest Area Water Supply project. The photo at left shows ongoing work on a discharge pipeline at Snake Creek.
BISMARCK — Another $107 million, including $12.7 million from the state Water Resources Trust Fund, will be needed for continued work on the Northwest Area Water Supply project this biennium, according to the North Dakota Department of Water Resources (DWR).
The department presented the request to the House Appropriations Education and Environment Subcommittee Thursday. The funding also includes $52.1 million from the City of Minot sales tax and $42.2 million in federal funds through the state’s Municipal, Rural & Industrial water supply program.
However, the additional work will come after water has begun flowing from Lake Sakakawea into the NAWS system, which is projected to happen this summer. The additional work after water is flowing will improve the capability of the system.
“Right now, the capacity of the Minot Water Treatment Plant is 18 million gallons per day. We would want to expand it to 27 million gallons per day,” said Sindhuja Pillai-Grinolds, director of the Water Development Division in DWR. “We would like some inline booster pump stations between Mohall and Kenmare, so that we have a loop system on the NAWS project. And then on the distribution side, we need a Souris reservoir and pump station. The biota water treatment plant, phase I, currently provides a capacity of 9 million gallons per day, which has to be expanded to 27 million gallons per day.”
The $107 million will finish everything but phase II of the biota water treatment plant, she said. The plant has been a federal responsibility.
DWR also has a request for a full-time NAWS operator in its budget. Currently, DWR has a NAWS project manager who oversees construction and operations, a water resource senior manager who provides construction administration assistance and a distribution operator who oversees the NAWS system.
Pillai-Grinolds said the 2023 legislature approved funding for a temporary employee to help with operations.
She noted NAWS has 240 miles of treated water distribution and about 46 miles of raw lake water pipeline. It also has 38 facilities, along with 500 accessory operational pieces that should be inspected at least once a year.
Funding for a NAWS operator is needed to provide the necessary round-the-clock oversight of that system, she said. Those funds would come from NAWS water rates.
Pillai-Grinolds also spoke about ongoing work, largely associated with finishing the biota water treatment plant at Max this summer and completing a discharge pipeline and temporary intake at the Snake Creek pumping plant on Lake Sakakawea, expected by the end of July. After that time, NAWS water can begin flowing through the existing pipeline system.
A permanent intake is set to replace the temporary intake by June 30, 2027. Although a permit delay with the U.S. Corps of Engineers potentially could push back construction on that project somewhat, a delay would not affect the timeline for the temporary intake, Pillai-Grinolds said. The permanent intake is needed for better water quantity and quality, she said.
A pressure-reducing station and isolated vault improvements also are under construction, with completion set for August.
