Red Lodge Water Project Funded
USDA Rural Development presented today the City of Red Lodge a ceremonial check in the amount of $1,030,785 to fund the
rehabilitation and expansion of the city water system. The funds will be used to construct a new 500,000 gallon reservoir,
a new metering and chlorination facility, and nearly three miles of new water mains.
Steve Troendle, Community Programs Director for Rural Development said "Red Lodge is a growing city, and these dollars will
help solidify the cornerstone of that growth by expanding their water delivery infrastructure. We’re happy to be a part of it."
This year's combination of loan and grant dollars brings the total federal investment in this project to over $5 million.
The City of Red Lodge has received a total of $22,500 in grants and $5,313,000 in low-interest loans from Rural Development
as well as a $100,000 grant from Montana’s Department of Natural Resources & Conservation (DNRC), a $750,000 grant from the
Treasure State Endowment Program (TSEP), $337,500 from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s State and Tribal Grants
(STAG) Program. The City of Red Lodge has also provided $77,000 in local funding to reach the $6.6 million estimated
project cost.
Currently, the city water system is showing signs of leakage due to water mains nearly a century old. The main lines are also
undersized and could prevent full flow to certain areas in the event of an emergency. Storage capacity is also inadequate for
peak usage times and the entire system is at or near capacity for water users, preventing future growth.
The City of Red Lodge will be building a new 500,000 gallon reservoir and a new metering and chlorination facility at the
water treatment plant. They will also replace water mains from the treatment plant to areas of the city including portions
of Highway 212 as well as White Avenue among others. 9 new fire hydrants will also be installed. The new mains will also
address leakage problems in the current system and allow for additional growth of the city water users including the Louma
subdivision, construction of a new hospital, and continued steady growth in the city.
Rural Development is an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and exists to provide support to the rural communities
of our nation. Rural Development provides low-interest loans and grants for community infrastructure projects such as this,
as well as small business development loans, grants, and guarantees; first time homebuyer loans; mutual self-help homes;
energy efficiency programs, and many other financial products designed for rural America.
