The city of Wyndmere, in southeastern North Dakota, has been granted a $4.4 million loan from the state’s Clean Water Revolving Loan Fund, and another $1.2 million from the Drinking Water Revolving Loan Fund.
The money is going toward the storm sewer and sanitary sewer systems, and related streets will also be rebuilt.
Wyndmere Mayor Nathan Brandt said this will be the first phase of a two phase project.
"The streets in Wyndmere have been deteriorating for the last 30 years," Brandt said. "It was time to do a project that will keep our streets good for the foreseeable future."
That first phase involves areas around the school.
Brandt said the eastern part of the city has limited catch basins for the storm sewer system. He said the water gets into the ground, and there is no way to pump it out of town.
"You'll drive on our streets, and they're uneven," Brandt said. "The asphalt will spiderweb in the springtime, when the frost is coming out. There's no way to get the water out."
Wyndmere is located on two busy state highways – 13 and 18. Brandt said it’s a very good location, and he wants to showcase that.
"We're trying to turn our gtown into that convenient location," Brandt said. "We're trying to dress up our town to make people want to come and be part of the community."
Brandt said the city has a very good school system, and has a busy grocery store. He said the Dollar General is one of the busiest that chain has.
"We're trying to show what we have down here in a smaller, rural community," Brandt said. "People are looking for that."
Brandt said this project is better than putting band-aids on the problem, and having to re-do the asphalt streets every few years.