Invest in Wastewater Infrastructure for a Clear Return

Beneath Minnesota’s roads and buildings lie thousands of miles of critical wastewater infrastructure bringing trillions of gallons of dirty water from our communities to wastewater treatment plants. Often hidden from view, these facilities clean our water—safeguarding public health and protecting the environment.  We depend on this infrastructure for quality of life and for business to thrive and grow, but we don’t think about it much until it fails.

When local communities are forced to bear the high cost of repairs, rates become unaffordable and the viability of communities and business is threatened.

Now is the time to for the State of Minnesota to invest proactively in wastewater infrastructure. Each year, the state legislature has the opportunity to appropriate money for Minnesota’s Wastewater Infrastructure Fund (WIF) that provides low interest loans and partial grants for the state’s most-deserving projects.

Local governments across the state submit projects for consideration for funding assistance or loans. State technical staff scores each project by

• The urgency of the problem or project
• The impact of the project on public and environmental health, and
• The local government’s readiness to proceed.

In 2021, there are 111 critical wastewater projects from 71 Minnesota communities on the statewide project list (Intended Use Plan). The cost of these projects awaiting funding totals nearly $1 billion.

State investment helps keep wastewater infrastructure effective and affordable for Minnesota. Annual appropriations for WIF are critical. In addition, we must better align funding levels with growing statewide needs. The legislature typically funds WIF in small amounts, while the statewide needs continue to grow. With increased WIF funding, our state can prevent catastrophic failures and provide the necessary assistance to ensure the long-term viability of Minnesota’s wastewaster infrastructure.