SANDPOINT — The city is requesting $60 million in low interest loans from the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality to help finance the renovation of its wastewater treatment plant.

Public Works Director Holly Ellis said that DEQ has indicated the city could receive around $38 million from the clean water state revolving fund this fiscal year. She said the $60 million from the state would be eligible for potential principal forgiveness and be able to fund the first phase of the project. 

“Don't think of it as in future phases will not come but think of it more as the sequence of construction,” Ellis said of the phased approach. “One of the commitments that we made to the public with that bond election was to pursue funding, and this was one of the funding sources that we targeted.” 

Mayor Jeremy Grimm said the director of DEQ will be in Sandpoint on May 6 to meet with officials to discuss funding and tour the aging plant. During that meeting, Grimm said the city will be discussing the rules around wastewater plants to see if the city could utilize an alternative treatment method called ‘wet weather treatment.’ 

This idea of using an alternative treatment method has been one that Grimm has openly discussed going back to before the bond election last November. Grimm said the wet weather treatment method would allow Sandpoint to build a significantly smaller plant, saving millions on construction. 

“This would allow us to treat that a little differently, still meet our permit requirements, but not have to run it all through a massive sewer plant,” Grimm said. “So that's really exciting. I can't wait to report back on that, and that could have a big impact to lower the cost of the plant.” 

Councilor Kyle Schreiber asked about the chances for loan forgiveness, with the current state of the federal and state budgets. Grimm said that under normal circumstances the city would have expected significant loan forgiveness but added that money is “limited and tight.” 

Grimm said he’s been in contact with U.S. Sen. Jim Risch and U.S. Rep. Russ Fulcher to ask for federal funding. He said it’s his understanding that some of the congressional delegation from Idaho does not support federal earmarks for infrastructure projects. 

Grimm has long lamented the lack of support from the state and federal government throughout the process. He said the issue is larger than just Sandpoint or Idaho, citing a Bloomberg article which reported a massive sewer break in Washington, D.C. 

“We continue to try to ask for funding of these, these critical infrastructure programs, but it's not looking pretty,” Grimm said. “Idaho alone has over $750 million sewer plant needs just this year so it’s a big problem.” 

Ellis said the city is still looking for another $70 million in funding for the project. She said that the city’s engineering firm, Keller and Associates, would be presenting their cost-saving efforts at the April 1 council meeting. 

The entire discussion can be viewed on the city’s YouTube channel at youtube.com/@CityofSandpoint. The April 1 meeting starts at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall.