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Lafayette seeks state and federal support for RO water project; funding steps under way
Summary
Interim Utility Superintendent Allan Fox told the council the city has asked legislators and committee members for bonding support for a reverse-osmosis (RO) project, filed an EPA semiannual update and submitted a $4 million federal STREAMS request to subcommittee; MDH certification of household median income (HMI) and an updated OCCT plan are outstanding items.
Allan Fox, Lafayette's interim utility superintendent, told the council on May 11 that the city is actively pursuing state and federal funding for a proposed reverse-osmosis (RO) water-treatment project.
Fox said Lafayette sent letters of support to members of the state Capital Investment Committee and has been in contact with Rep. Schwartz and Sen. Frentz after House and Senate bonding bills were introduced that include the project. He also reported an EPA semiannual project update was completed and that a $4 million federal STREAMS request has reached a subcommittee for review.
Fox noted a PFA household median income (HMI) figure of $95,500 was cited in project paperwork but said Lafayette's HMI is lower; the city must complete a household survey to certify a local HMI to the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH). Fox added that MDH timelines in a THM agreement are linked to funding options and will be reviewed annually. The MDH Optimal Corrosion Control Treatment (OCCT) plan update is due before June 30, 2026.
Fox said the project remains contingent on funding and approvals. The council asked staff to continue outreach and return updates as funding decisions and technical steps progress.
What happens next: City staff will pursue the HMI survey and continue legislative outreach; project scheduling will depend on bonding and federal funding outcomes.
