August 2025
8/26/2025 9:59:51 AM
St. Paul, MN –The Minnesota Public Facility Authority (MPFA) today announced more than $236.4 million in loans and grants to 30 wastewater and drinking water infrastructure projects in 18 cities throughout the state.
The MPFA helps cities replace aging infrastructure and make system improvements to protect public health and improve water quality. Since its inception in 1987, the MPFA has provided over $7.1 billion for public infrastructure programs statewide, impacting most every community in Minnesota.
"The impact of the MPFA's funding is felt around the state and is vital to improving not only the health of our communities, but the health of our environment and economy," said Matt Varilek, commissioner of the Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) and MPFA chair. "By prioritizing clean and accessible drinking water, we are working to ensure the wellbeing of our communities for years to come."
"The MPFA provides crucial financing and technical assistance to communities who might not have access to it otherwise, encouraging economic growth and protecting the health of Minnesotan communities," said MPFA Executive Director Steve Walter. "Keeping our water clean, drinkable and accessible is the core goal of the MPFA and an investment in Minnesota's economic growth and prosperity."
The MPFA administers and oversees the financial management of revolving loan funds and other programs that help local units of government build facilities for clean water, drinking water and transportation infrastructure projects. Funding for these projects primarily comes from the MPFA's Clean Water Revolving Fund (CWRF) and the Drinking Water Revolving Fund (DWRF). The CWRF helps communities build or upgrade wastewater treatment plants to comply with discharge standards in the federal Clean Water Act, and the DWRF helps communities build drinking water storage, treatment and distribution systems that comply with standards in the federal Safe Drinking Water Act.
Projects can also receive funding from MPFA's Point Source Implementation Grant program, Water Infrastructure Fund and Small Community Wastewater Treatment Program. In some cases, funding can be provided by specials state appropriations, the USDA Office of Rural Development and local sources.
Projects and MPFA funding amounts listed below. Funding details for each project are available on the MPFA website.
Construction of a tertiary filtration building, associated tank, chemical feed equipment, controls, UV piping and replacement of a grit classifier and grit pump.
Service line replacement of approximately 121 lead lines with copper lines between the curb stop and house water meters.
Construction of a new water treatment plant and supply well.
Construction of a new filter and operations building, renovations to existing buildings and upgrades to electrical and mechanical systems.
Addition of a reverse-osmosis treatment system to allow the reduction of salt discharge from in-home water softeners, decreasing treatment facilities' chloride concentration at the source.
Service line replacement of approximately 50 lead lines with copper lines.
Seven service line replacement projects replacing lead lines with copper lines in the Lincoln Park, Central Hillside and Fairmount neighborhoods, and along Chester Park Drive Alley, Raleigh Street and London Road.
Two projects, the first to replace two 1.4-million-gallon ground storage reservoirs with two 2-million-gallon ground storage reservoirs to meet the increased needs of the community, the second to plan, design and construct Phase 1 improvements to Fairmont's existing wastewater facility to comply with phosphorus limits, and to upgrade an existing facility.
Construction of a watermain in conjunction with reconstruction of Highway 371.
Replacement of an existing watermain with 6-inch diameter watermains, replacement and installations of new gate valves and hydrants to meet current standards.
Conversion of existing batch reactors to extend aeration activation sludge. Also includes ion addition, SCADA system installations on lift stations and the replacement of portions of a sanitary sewer main.
Financing for wastewater capital projects.
Service line replacement of more than 1,000 lead lines with copper lines.
Service line replacement of 11 lead lines with copper lines.
Three service line replacement projects replacing lead lines with copper lines, the first on Wilson Avenue, the second on Germain Street and the third on University Drive SE and 8th Avenue SE.
Two projects, the first for watermain looping, the second for sanitary sewer reconstruction.
Construction of a new water treatment plant.
Construction of a new well and a new treatment plant to remove manganese.
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