The most recent coronavirus recovery bill, the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), will provide historic, direct federal payments to all 19,000 municipal governments in the United States. For some municipalities, this relief will offer a once-in-a-generation opportunity for community betterment.
The $195.3 billion allocated to the states includes specific funding for a wide variety of community services and resources impacted by COVID-19, but municipal governments will have a major say in how their direct payments are spent. For community decision makers, choosing the best way to allocate this much-needed relief payment can seem like nothing short of a herculean task.
WATER, SEWER, AND BROADBAND INFRASTRUCTURE
The legislation specifies that municipal relief payments can be used for "necessary investments in water, sewer, or broadband infrastructure.” Because this language has broad interpretations, the National League of Cities (NLC) is working with the Treasury to obtain further clarification, but they do not anticipate that guidance will be available to recipients before the funds are distributed in May.
It’s unsurprising that many Wisconsin municipalities have expressed an interest in using ARPA funds for water and sewer related projects, as such infrastructure investments can improve a community’s overall quality of life for decades to come. However, the legislation states that municipal relief funds will only remain available until December 2024. Even with plenty of funding, completing water and sewer related projects in a condensed timeframe is a difficult task, which is why it’s so important to start the early steps of the planning process as soon as possible.
To help you consider your community’s options and get a head start on necessary preparation, our experts developed a list of 25 water and sewer related infrastructure improvement projects that may be eligible* for ARPA relief funding.
*Please note, the NLC is pushing for a liberal interpretation of the statute to include storm water and wastewater projects and expenses, but there is no guarantee that the projects listed below will qualify for ARPA funding once the Treasury offers clarification. All project suggestions are based on our current understanding of the legislation. View the NLC’s letter to the Treasury here.
1. Accelerate your municipal lead service line (LSL)
replacement program
Provides a community-wide benefit
May be able to make road repairs directly related to LSL replacements
2. Repair and/or replace aging sewer main
Especially beneficial in aging/economically depressed neighborhoods
Associated road repairs may also be eligible for funding
3. Loop water main
Create system redundancy
Enhance hydraulics and fire flows
4. Identify and mitigate sanitary sewer infiltration and
inflow
Manhole inspections: look for drainage issues, leaky covers, and joint leaks
Smoke testing
Dye testing
Pipe inspections
Replace manhole covers
Line manholes
5. Implement and/or accelerate a sewer televising and
cleaning program
Quick detection and repair of minor conditions prevents small problems from becoming major, costly problems
Regular mainline maintenance helps mitigate infiltration, which in turn relieves unnecessary strain on the treatment plant and prevents spikes in flow
Close observation allows for more accurate planning and budgeting for mainline repairs and replacements
6. Invest in sewer flow metering equipment
Examine current sewer capacity
Improve ability for future community expansion and economic development
Identify problem sewers
7. Complete sewer and water system field survey
inventories
Accurately locate position of your assets
Internal manhole inspections and lidar scans
8. Perform pump station condition assessments/UPGRADES
Lidar scanning cameras allow for quick, high-definition assessments
Upgrade pumps and controls
Add standby generator
9. Fund energy efficient WWTF upgrades
Consider the long-term benefits of solar installation
Relief payment may cover capital costs related to energy efficient improvements
10. Prepare water system for economic development
Will you need sewer and water extensions for new subdivisions and/or business parks?
Will you need additional structures to accommodate growth?
11. Fund projects that would otherwise be financed by
loans with interest
E.g., safe drinking or clean water fund loans
12. Complete proactive general utility repairs and/or
replacements
Hydrants
Valves and valve boxes
Manholes
13. Fund water tower improvement projects
Repaint water towers that are currently painted lead-based paint
14. Implement suggestions from your completed Risk &
Resilience Assessment
Protect your water system from unpredictable threats and failure
Comply with America’s Water Infrastructure Act
15. Fund TMDL compliance projects
IDDE programs
Identify and remedy illicit sanitary sewer connections to storm sewers
Erosion control programs
16. Fund MS4 permit compliance projects
Mapping jurisdictional boundaries of your storm sewer system, outfalls, pipes, ditches, roads, and receiving waters
Implement new storm water BMP’s
BMP maintenance
17. Pay for the costs of PFAS disposal at WWTFs
Costs associated with transporting PFAS waste to appropriate disposal facilities
18. Cover PSC reporting costs
Annual reports
Rate increases
Feasibility studies
19. Fund corrosion control studies and treatment
Wisconsin DNR is requiring municipalities to conduct corrosion control studies with greater frequency
Treatment can be costly, this payment can help you stay ahead of the curve and address corrosion issues before a forced assessment
20. Make the move into a digitized environment and invest
in a GIS to better manage water/sewer infrastructure
Know the location and condition of your assets
Prioritize infrastructure replacements
Make reporting easier and more efficient
21. Use technology to identify and address the greatest
weaknesses in your community infrastructure
GIS technology allows you to perform an honest infrastructure assessment
How resilient is your current infrastructure?
What unpredictable potential events and/or hazards would have the biggest impact on your community?
22. Complete an advanced potable water system model
Obtain important information about fire flows and system performance
Address water aging issues, establish flushing programs
23. Develop a 3d storm water flood control and/or water
quality model
Easily visualize areas at risk for future flooding and prepare your community for rain events before they cause significant destruction
Treat and control TSS, phosphorus, and other constituents
24. Upgrade your WWTF tech and SCADA equipment
Replace old control panels
New equipment will also help utilities complete Risk & Resilience Assessments and Emergency Response Plans, as required for compliance with America’s Water Infrastructure Act
25. Move WWTF from radio to cellular technology
Cellular can significantly improve coverage area, especially for facilities in low elevations with limited access to radio
Can be implemented on a site-by-site basis, used as a supplement to radio.
Learn More
While we can’t predict the Treasury’s parameters or guidelines surrounding acceptable use of funds for water and sewer infrastructure projects, our experts can alleviate the burden on your staff and help your community be as prepared as possible when clarification arrives. We’re also here to help you find answers to important questions, like what projects can assist your municipality in reaching its long-term goals more quickly? Where will your relief funds have the greatest impact? How can you use this money to help ready your community for the anticipated 2021 infrastructure bill? What projects will help your community expand and promote economic growth? How can you make your infrastructure more resilient?
Our sewer and water experts have decades of experience helping Wisconsin municipalities successfully plan, design, and permit projects with condensed timeframes and limited budgets. We also understand that your water/sewer infrastructure needs are as unique as the needs of your residents, and there is no one-size-fits-all solution for how to best allocate this new funding. If you’d like to learn more about how our experts can help you plan water and/or sewer projects that will make a long-lasting impact in your community, please contact us today.
About ThE AUTHOR
RYAN T. AMTMANN, P.E.
VICE PRESIDENT
Ryan joined the Ruekert & Mielke, Inc. (R/M) team in 2007. He has worked as a Project Manager and Project Engineer on municipal projects, including wastewater collection and conveyance system design, storm water management and facility design, water main design, site development, development review and general municipal consultation and planning.
