The Columbus Junction City Council recently approved to put their American Rescue Plan Act funds toward their wastewater treatment project.

Nearly $250,000 has been allocated to the city through the federal COVID-19 stimulus bill, which will be made available over the next two years. Columbus Junction Mayor Mark Huston says 80% of the funds will go towards the installation of an ultraviolet system to disinfect the water coming from the city to the Iowa River to meet new ammonia standards set by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. The city is having a second bid letting this fall after bids came in higher than expected for the lagoon project this June. Bids received doubled the engineer’s estimate of $785,000, with the lowest coming in at about $1.4 million. The city received a $300,000 Community Development Block Grant for the project with plans to balance the remaining costs through the State Revolving Fund. Bid opening is scheduled for October 13th.