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Grand Forks committee approves revised engineer's report for Highway 81 water main project
Summary
Council committee approved a revised engineer’s report for District 362’s water main (Peony Addition, Highway 81 area) to reflect increased project costs and to allow the city to pursue a 60% state cost share and SRF loan financing; the new engineer estimate rose from about $1.1 million to $1.68 million.
The Committee of the Whole voted unanimously to approve a revised engineer’s report for Project 8576 — water main work in District 362 (Peony Addition / Highway 81 area) that updates cost estimates and allows the city to pursue state cost‑share and loan financing.
Why it matters: engineering refinements identified additional highway crossings and casing requirements that increased the project estimate from roughly $1.1 million at the original October report to about $1.68 million in the revised estimate. The revision is needed to ensure the engineer’s report is consistent with current plans and cost estimates before the city applies for state funding.
City waterworks staff member Danielson presented the change and explained finance options: “The report that you would have approved back in October was at about 1,100,000. And with some of the changes ... we're looking at about 1.68 at this point,” Danielson said. He told the committee the project team intends to apply to the State Water Commission for a 60% cost share and to finance the city’s remaining share with a State Revolving Fund (SRF) loan; the local share would be assessed to the city and repaid through the assessment schedule and loan.
Committee members asked about the funding mechanics and repayment timeline. Danielson said that the city would assess the project cost to itself and then pay that assessment through SRF loan proceeds; assessments are typically amortized over 20 to 30 years and the SRF loan would reduce the effective cost to ratepayers.
The committee voted to approve the revised engineer’s report without further amendment; the item will proceed to the full council as recommended.
Ending: Staff will proceed with the state cost‑share application and SRF loan process once the revised engineer’s report is finalized and approved by council.
