Winona City Council meeting from Jan. 18.
WINONA, Minn. (KWNO)-The City of Winona is preparing to address its water infrastructure.
On Monday the city council heard testimony concerning a mandate from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency that limits phosphorous output from wastewater treatment plants by 2028. A report posted on the city’s website indicates that making upgrades to meet the mandate would raise the cost of water rates between 20 and 40 percent.
During an interview on KWNO’s In the Know, Mayor Scott Sherman says the city expects to get funding that will help cover upgrade costs.
“While yes if we got zero funding and it all fell onto the local taxpayer yeah it would be 20-40 percent increase in water rates,” Sherman said. “We really do expect to be able to receive grants and/or other funding sources that will help reduce that impact to the local water user.”
Sherman said a possible mandate on nitrate reductions could also lower the cost of the phosphorus-reduction upgrades. Councilmembers were told between $3 and $7 million in grants are available to cover the upgrade costs.
Aside from wastewater treatment, Sherman said a lot of the city’s original water infrastructure is still in place.
“We have a lot of lead pipes in town. A lot of service pipes that are lead. A lot of actual water pipes going into homes are led as well,” Sherman said. “Eventually all of that is going be needing to be replaced.”
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