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The Fix the Pipes Alliance, a broad coalition of labor, business, environmental, city and legislative leaders, has called on the Minnesota Legislature to pass a state construction financing bill to help replace aging and failing sewer and water systems across the state, reports the Duluth News Tribune.
The alliance said that the state should provide at least $300 million statewide this year for municipalities to upgrade sewer and water pipes.
Gov. Tim Walz has included the sewer and water funding in his proposed $2 billion state bonding bill where the state sells bonds to pay for public construction projects across the state. With interest rates at historically low levels, supporters say it’s a perfect time to borrow to invest.
Labor groups support the Fix the Pipes efforts, saying it will put 7,200 people to work at a time when the state’s economy has been devastated by the COVID-19 shutdown. The group said the state’s $300 million investment will spur a $1.8 billion return.
Environmental groups also support the state spending because it would help deliver clean water to more people and plug holes in various sewer systems that in some cases are leaking untreated sewage into the environment.
Luke Heikkila, Two Harbors, Minnesota, wastewater treatment plant superintendent, said his city is asking the state for $11.5 million this year to cover much of the cost of a new $20 million wastewater treatment plant. Much of the city’s current plant is 65 years old and fails to meet all state clean water standards.
With only 1,500 homes and businesses hooked up to the city system, the city alone can’t afford to foot the bill to protect Lake Superior, Heikkila said.
“With a population so small, we absolutely need help” to cover the cost, he added.
Sen. David Senjem, chairman of the Senate Capital Investment Committee, said the wastewater investment is long overdue. Minnesota’s "wastewater infrastructure is falling apart’’ and many treatment plants “are just wore out," he said.
Senjem said the $300 million will only cover a small part of the total need, and the state is “billions of dollars’’ behind in repairs and upgrades and that local taxpayers can’t foot the bill.