White Lake wins $2 million federal award for wastewater improvements to address lake nutrients

The Town of White Lake announced on Feb. 10 that it has received a $2,000,000 federal award for wastewater improvements aimed at reducing nutrients entering White Lake. Mayor Dalton Wawbel said the award was the town's second-largest in the state for this program and will be used to rehab lift stations and pursue other projects to limit nutrient loading that fuels algal blooms.

Town Administrator Sean said staff will pursue engineering work required to unlock the grant funding and noted the project will complement prior work, including alum treatment after a 2018 cyanobacterial bloom. "We need to do a lot of rehab work in relation to the lift stations we have in the lake," the mayor said, adding that staff will identify engineers and develop a plan to expand use of the funds.

A commissioner said modernizing outdated vacuum-based pumps to modern submersible pumps will reduce labor and improve reliability. The board praised staff and lobbyists for helping secure the appropriation and said the funds will be targeted at lift-station rehabilitation and other capital needs tied to water-quality outcomes. No procurement schedule or construction timeline was adopted at the meeting; staff said a project plan and additional details will be presented to the board once engineering work is completed.