Lind partners with Ecology to solve stormwater issues

The Department of Ecology has changed their policy on the grant they offer to assist cities with their stormwater issues, which affects the Town of Lind.

Normally, to apply for the grant the town must already be under order to deal with their stormwater problems, Lind is not but has still been provided with the grant money to proceed with the project.

This project to protect the water quality of the Lind Coulee is being 90 percent funded by the Ecology, who are providing $559,923 of the total $658,733 cost for the stormwater management.

The other 10 percent will come in the form of a low-interest rate loan in the amount of $98,810. The 2.4 percent interest rate will result in an approximate raise on utility bills of $1.76 per month for 20 years.

This project will protect the recently built water treatment plant that cost nearly three million to complete. This was also partially funded by the Ecology.

The stormwater runoff from the community threatens this treatment plant. This was the main factor to convince the Town Council to pass the motion to accept the grant and begin the project. This motion was passed four to one during the scheduled meeting on Sept. 8.

If the city did not accept this grant and waited until they were ordered to begin a clean up project the utility bills for community members were estimated to increase between $40 and $50.

The project was guaranteed to cost more in the future due to inflation and they may not get the support from the Ecology that they are offered currently.

The project will include a vactor trailer so as to clean out currently blocked culverts that are forcing the water to run into the coulee.

Additionally, it will include fixing or replacing any damaged culverts as well.

This clean up project has been under consideration for quite some time and has been a topic at numerous city council meetings and town hall discussions.

With the amount of money the city and Ecology has put towards the planning of the project, $7,000 and $23,000 respectively, moving forward with the grant seemed the obvious choice.

During the meeting it was evident that the council members wanted simply to look towards the future of their community and do what is best for each person affected by the stormwater flooding.

The project will specifically allow 20 percent of the stormwater to flow to the sewage plant.

The other 80 percent is normally soaked into the ground. This will help during the few heavy rainstorms the community experiences each year.

During the meeting, Councilperson Tom Strohmaier was the one to propose a motion to accept the grant after discussions about the approval.

Councilperson Karissa Labes seconded the motion. Councilperson Paula Bell was the only member to oppose the accepting of the grant, with the other four in agreement the motion passed.