OLYMPIA — Millions of dollars in loans for sewer and water projects are coming to communities in Snohomish and Island counties under a law signed Friday by Gov. Chris Gregoire.
The cities of Arlington, Lake Stevens and Snohomish will receive aid for wastewater projects and the community of Freeland, on Whidbey Island, will get help improving its delivery of drinking water to residents.
Fifty-two projects around the state will share in $278 million in loans from the Public Works Assistance Account. The loans, which have been given out annually since the mid-1980s, help communities and special districts cover the cost of needed infrastructure. Interest on each loan is 0.5 percent.
Funding in the public works account comes from taxes on water and sewer service, garbage collection, a portion of the real estate excise tax and loan repayments.
This year’s projects include:
n $10 million each to the city and the sewer district of Lake Stevens for jointly constructing a new wastewater treatment plant and pump station and installing 9,500 feet of sewer line.
n $10 million to the city of Arlington for expanding and upgrading its wastewater treatment plant to accommodate future growth. The city has now received $18 million in public works loans for a project set to be completed in 2010.
n $6.5 million to the city of Snohomish for sewer lines, a pump station and upgrades to the existing wastewater treatment plan to improve treatment of the effluent.
n $347,516 to the Freeland water district to connect a new well and reservoir to the existing water system and install new chlorination equipment to improve water quality.
Also, Snohomish County will receive a $10 million low-interest loan toward constructing a 2-mile, two-lane truck route around the heart of Granite Falls as a result of the legislation signed by Gregoire.
Reporter Jerry Cornfield: 360-352-8623 or jcornfield@heraldnet.com
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