Lewis & Clark repays $1 million to State of South Dakota

PIERRE, S.D. (Dakota News Now) - The executive director of the Lewis & Clark Regional Water System delivered a check for $1 million to Gov. Kristi Noem at the State Capitol on Thursday.

The money repaid a “federal funding advance” the Legislature approved during the 2014 session.

“The one million dollars played a very important role in jump starting the development of the ‘wheeling plan’ for Madison,” said Troy Larson, executive director for Lewis & Clark. “This funding was used to design and acquire easements for two separate five mile segments of 16-inch diameter PVC pipeline. The first five-mile segment started at Crooks and headed north, and the second five-mile segment started at Madison and headed east and south. In cooperation with Minnehaha Community Water Corp and the Big Sioux Community Water System, using this ten miles of pipeline and Lewis & Clark’s meter buildings at Crooks and Madison, Madison has been able to access up to one million gallons of water per day since May 2017. The wheeling plan will continue to be used until Madison is connected to Lewis & Clark in 2024.”

“A big thanks again to Deb (former legislator Deb Peters), as well as the legislators who served in 2014 and former Governor Dennis Daugaard. This funding was a huge help to Madison. Our thanks and appreciation as well to Gov. Noem for her continued strong support. Through her leadership the State is providing $15 million, which includes ARPA funding, that is being used to help expand Lewis & Clark from 44.19 million gallons a day (MGD) to 60 MGD,” said Larson.