Council moves to accept EPA water-infrastructure grant, committee outlines project priorities

The City Council received a finance-committee recommendation to adopt an order accepting a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grant for water-infrastructure improvements and to establish a fund for grant administration. The committee report, read into the record, identified River Terrace SSO separation work and related CSO/sewer-separation projects and included estimated design and construction figures and a schedule that cited construction activity into 2025.

During the presentation the city’s engineer was noted as present (Victoria Fuller referenced) and staff explained the grant is an awarding match program from 2023; the council heard that such grants typically require a local match (council discussion referenced a 25% match). Project-level examples discussed included a $650,000 separation project and a $600,000 final-design estimate for another River Terrace segment; members asked staff to provide details to finance for further review.

Councilors moved to place the order for first reading and later for second reading; the motion to proceed with readings was made and the council directed staff to prepare the ordinance and fund set-up materials. The presentation also noted that grant reporting requires a detailed report within 60 days following the end of the grant period.

Why it matters: The grant would fund sewer-separation and water-infrastructure work that reduces combined-sewer overflows (CSOs) and can be expensive at the project level; local matching obligations and construction timelines influence the city’s capital planning and budget priorities.

What happens next: The council approved moving the order forward for readings and asked finance staff and the engineering office to provide final figures and fund-setup paperwork; final acceptance of the grant and any appropriations will require subsequent council action once detailed terms and match requirements are confirmed.