Clinton water official reports high system water loss, says wastewater loan forgiveness may be coming

The city’s water superintendent told the council that Clinton’s system-wide water loss measured about 35% this month and described targeted work to identify leaks and replace aging equipment, while also reporting the city was selected for a wastewater loan-forgiveness program that could reduce the town’s debt if the council accepts the forthcoming official offer.

Will Henie said the system is losing water unevenly: without the B branch the system loss would be about 23%, while Burnt Ridge is showing roughly 45% loss, Dennard 24%, and B branch alone about 30%. He reported one leak found that removed roughly 20 gallons per minute, but said the remaining losses are distributed through the system and require further detection work.

Henie also told the council the city had been selected for grant or loan forgiveness for wastewater projects; he said the offer — expected in writing early next year — would forgive about 35% of the loan, and that "if we do accept it, 35% of the money that we'll be getting, I think it was 900 and something thousand will be forgiven." He said the funds would be applied to replacing two problematic lift stations that frequently overflow.

Henie asked council authorization to pursue the forgiveness when the official offer arrives, saying the changes would reduce maintenance needs by installing above-ground lift stations and modernizing pumps.

Why it matters: High system water loss indicates lost revenue and infrastructure stress; forgiveness on wastewater debt could reduce local debt-service costs and free funds for capital work on persistent overflow points.