A milestone for the Southwest Pipeline project.
The pipeline carries water from Lake Sakakawea to southwestern North Dakota. The project received $443 million from bonds, as well as federal and state contributions. Now, the Southwest Water Authority has returned $100 million to the North Dakota Resources trust fund.
"The Southwest pipeline project has been a necessary endeavor for the state of North Dakota, to get water to all of southwest North Dakota," said Southwest Water Authority manager and CEO Jen Murray.
Murray said in the early days, there were wells that produced cloudy and Coke-colored water, full of unwanted minerals and sediment. And she said there are still some wells like that in the region.
Murray said in the 1970s, the plan was to have canals bring the water to the southwest. But she said that failed to gain any traction in the Legislature – and in the 1980s, the idea for a pipeline project was approved. She said that project was supposed to serve contract customers and communities from the lake to the southern and western border of North Dakota. However, the project scope changed to include rural water districts.
"We are fully integrated," Murray said. "We serve 33 communities, more than 7500 rural customers, we have about 24 contract customers," Murray said. "The contract customers are places like Red Trail Energy (a Richardton ethanol plant) and Dakota Prairie Refinery (in Dickinson)."
Murray said there are plans to increase the capacity on the pipeline, to serve more customers in the southwest region.
