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Council hears plan for regional wastewater study and $23.6 million regional grant
Summary
Engineers told the Crooks City Council that a DNR-approved sanitary sewer study and an EPA-backed $23.6 million regional grant could make connecting Crooks to a larger treatment system (Hartford or Sioux Falls) affordable; the study will recommend options and costs over a multi-decade horizon.
City engineering consultant Jake from DGR told the Crooks City Council the firm will provide a monthly construction-progress packet and is leading a sanitary sewer study to evaluate long-term options for Crooks’ wastewater needs. He said the study will analyze feasibility, lifecycle costs and options that include building a municipal treatment plant or regionalizing with nearby systems.
"The study that we're paying them for will hopefully give us the guidance to make that decision," Jake said, noting the study will present options to build a plant locally or connect to Hartford or Sioux Falls. Council members stressed the study needs to address both near-term feasibility and multi-decade costs so the city can choose a sustainable path.
Engineer and council discussion flagged a federal funding opportunity: an EPA/regional grant package described in the meeting as $23,600,000 available to support regionalization in the county. Jake said the grant’s intent is to fund regional projects, and Crooks is eligible as part of a cluster of towns. "If we want to take our stuff and send it to Hartford or Sioux Falls, there's this $23,000,000 grant sitting there to help put the bill for that," the engineer said.
Council members and staff said matching projects already planned at the town level—street, water and sewer upgrades—could serve as the local match or required work that improves chances for grant funding. No final decision was made; the consultant said the study and subsequent coordination will guide the council’s preferred path and timing.
