Idaho DEQ awards millions in drinking water funding to Worley, Malad

Officials with the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality announced this week they awarded millions of dollars in drinking water funding and loans to the communities of Worley and Malad City.

On Thursday, state officials announced the department awarded a total of $4.9 million to Worley, which is located in Kootenai County. That breaks down as nearly $2.8 million in a low-interest drinking water construction loan and another $2.1 million in legislative supplemental funding that can be used for drinking water and wastewater infrastructure improvement projects. 

Worley’s funding will go to construct a new groundwater well, upgrade well facilities, repair a water tank, replace service meters and purchase new water rights, department officials said. 

The low interest water construction loan has a 2% interest rate and is repayable over 30 years, which state officials would save Worley $6 million compared to the average cost of municipal general obligation debt. 

On Wednesday, department officials announced they awarded more than $3.9 million to Malad City in Oneida County.

The funding for Malad includes a $2.8 million low-interest drinking water construction loan and $1.1 million in legislative supplemental funding. 

Malad’s funding will go toward addressing leaking water lines, upgrading and repairing wells, looping watermains and acquiring water rights, state officials said. The low-interest loan for Malad has a 2.75% interest rate and is payable over 20 years. State officials said those favorable terms will save the community almost $2.7 million.

[doante]