Water infrastructure intelligence — Minnesota

The most concrete movement this cycle sits with two new entries in the Clean Water SRF column. MCES Crow River appeared on the priority list for the first time with a New WWTP scope carrying an est. cost of $182.0M and a rank of #52. Brainerd also appeared on the priority list for the first time, its advanced treatment and biosolids improvements scope listed at an est. cost of $80.0M and rank #342.

Two communities entered the fundable range in the same program area. Alexandria LASD, with a phosphorus treatment expansion requested at $86.0M, now sits at rank #36. Albert Lea, with a phosphorus treatment rehabilitation project requested at $80.0M, sits at rank #25. On the Drinking Water SRF side, Vergas climbed in priority rank to #17 on its lead service line replacement work, estimated at $25K, while Dennison climbed to rank #3 on a new treatment plant estimated at $3.8M.

Across the category rollup, lead service lines carry the largest project count at 516, valued at $898.7M, while wastewater treatment carries the largest dollar value among the categories shown at $3.3B across 174 projects. Watermain and distribution work follows with 399 projects valued at $1.1B. The spread suggests a list where small per-project dollar amounts in lead service line work coexist with a handful of large treatment plant estimates like the one at MCES Crow River.

Minnesota's 2018 settlement with 3M continues to fund a Drinking Water Supply Plan for East Metro communities, including new or upgraded treatment at six water plants and 33 municipal wells. That commitment sits alongside the broader SRF lists tracked by Minnesota Public Facilities Authority, a reminder that some drinking water work in the state moves on a separate funding track from the IUP and PPL documents covered here.