Changes to wastewater treatment provisions proposed

Projects that reuse or recycle wastewater would be among those newly eligible for funding under a bill heard by the Natural Resources Committee Jan. 20.

LB737, introduced by Sen. Curt Friesen of Henderson, would expand the eligible funded activities for public entities seeking loans from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund. The fund provides low-interest loans and community matching grants to towns and cities for the construction of wastewater treatment facilities and sanitary sewer collection systems.

The purchase of land used for construction of water treatment facilities would be eligible for the loans, as would projects that conserve or reuse water. This includes the recycling or reuse of storm water, wastewater or subsurface drainage water, as well as the development and construction of watershed projects.

The bill also would increase the fund’s loan terms from the current 20 years to a maximum of 30 years, or the projected life of the project, whichever is less.

Jim Macy, director of the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality, which administers the fund, testified in support of the bill. He said changes to the fund are needed to take advantage of provisions of the federal Clean Water Act that could benefit Nebraska communities. The program receives annual grants from the Environmental Protection Agency and state matching funds.

Macy said the program provides $20 million to $30 million in loans every year to communities around the state. Increasing the length of the loan terms would help communities facing financial hardship pay for water treatment projects by spreading out their payments, he said.

“Currently we have more people on the waiting list than we have financial means to support,” he said.

No one spoke in opposition to the bill and the committee took no immediate action on it.