Funding will help upgrade Carson Water Treatment Plant, replace a sewer treatment plant in Pierce County, and assist Washington’s Tribal communities with waste reduction and environmental projects
Washington DC – Today, U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA) announced $5.2 million in federal funding for projects to improve the drinking water supply for folks in Carson, replace a sewer treatment plant in Pierce Country, and help Tribes in Washington state improve their solid waste programs. The grants are part of a $642 million tranche of funding Anunciado by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) through the Water and Waste Disposal Loans and Grants program and the Solid Waste Management Grants programa.
"Water infrastructure is something people don’t often think about until it stops working—but having up-to-date water treatment and sewage infrastructure is absolutely essential for communities and for public health,” dijo el senador Murray. “I’m glad to announce this funding to upgrade the filtration system at the Carson Water Treatment Plant and ensure a steady flow of clean drinking water year-round to folks in Carson. Additionally, replacing the sewer treatment plant at Taylor Bay Beach Club in Pierce County will prevent harmful contaminants from leaking into the Puget Sound. I’ll keep working to make sure access to clean drinking water and reliable water infrastructure is a reality for every community in Washington state.”
“Aging wastewater infrastructure in the State of Washington endangers our homes, businesses, and ecosystems, especially in rural areas,” dijo el senador Cantwell. “This federal investment will provide communities in Pierce County, Skamania County, and across tribal land with much-needed wastewater infrastructure upgrades, modernizing these systems to ensure they operate efficiently while protecting consumers and Puget Sound from harmful contaminants.”
El senators announced funding for the following projects in Washington state:
$2,656,000 in grant funding and $7,456,000 in loan funding for Skamania County PUD to Build Water Treatment Infrastructure in Carson. The rural community of Carson, WA relies on drinking water from the Carson Water Treatment Plant, which was constructed in 1978. The facility is no longer able to provide reliable drinking water year-round; additionally, the water treatment plant’s antiquated technology lacks certain safety measures found in modern treatment plants and has limited automation—requiring a high level of operator interaction and maintenance on a daily basis. The rebuild project will allow the Carson Water Treatment Plant to finally provide reliable drinking water for folks in Carson year-round, and reduce the staffing required to safely operate. The funding announced today will allow Skamania County PUD to construct a membrane filtration building, drying beds, septic tanks, a leach field, and pipelines connecting to the existing reservoir and stormwater ditch. Senators Murray and Cantwell also secured $3 millones in Congressionally Directed Spending for the Carson Water Treatment Plant Rebuild project in the Fiscal Year 2023 government spending bill.
$2,309,000 to replace the Taylor Bay Beach Club’s sewer treatment plant in Pierce County. The system is at the end of its useful lifespan—additionally, outflow from the current sewer system is out of compliance with the requirements of the National Shellfish Sanitation Program and was responsible for the closure of a nearby geoduck fishery. This project will ensure that no harmful contaminants are discharged in the Sound and will also allow local geoduck beds to be planted and harvested.
$323,000 for the Tribal Solid Waste Advisory Network to provide technical assistance and training to Tribes in Washington state and the broader Pacific Northwest to enhance their solid waste programs by addressing current environmental programmatic challenges that adversely impact their solid waste reduction programs and the longevity of their local landfills.
Senators Murray and Cantwell both helped to pass the Ley de infraestructura bipartidista, which provided billions in federal funding to upgrade water infrastructure throughout the United States, as well as a $55 billion investment in water infrastructure—the largest-ever investment in clean drinking water in American history.
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