Public Works Board announces $3.3 million to improve health and safety in seven counties



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MAY 19, 2025

*Critical repairs coming to Sunnyside wastewater treatment plant*

Public Works Board announces $3.3 million for nine awards to improve health and safety in seven counties 

OLYMPIA, Wash. – The City of Sunnyside needed help shoring up its wastewater treatment plant after an equipment failure. Crews are taking measures to alleviate the potential for explosion.

The Washington State Public Works Board [ [link removed] ] recently announced $1 million in emergency funding for Sunnyside, a small town southeast of Yakima. The award includes $500,000 in grants and $500,000 as a low-interest loan. Another $2.3 million will support pre-construction projects spanning six counties.

The situation in Sunnyside is “jeopardizing critical functions at the wastewater treatment plant, endangering our staff’s health,” Interim Public Works Director Cus Arteaga said. “Sunnyside appreciates the opportunity provided, which offers immediate funding to the city to stabilize the wastewater treatment plant’s ability to manage methane gas. No other program offered immediate funding accessibility.”

A pipe failure at the Sunnyside wastewater treatment plant.

Additionally, new grants and low-interest loans are headed to Clallam, Douglas, Grant, Grays Harbor, King and Pend Oreille counties to support planning and design for drinking water and sewer projects.

*Clallam County*


* Public Utility District No. 1 of Clallam County: $756,735 for the Clallam Bay/Sekiu Reservoir Improvements project. In previous years, water main breaks were a recurring problem, and crews worked overtime to address emergency leaks and restore water service. The PUD will use PWB funds for design engineering and permitting for the construction of two above-ground reservoirs to improve water system reliability.

*Douglas County*


* City of Bridgeport: $91,250 for the Bridgeport Water System Plan project. The City of Bridgeport will use PWB funding to create a water system plan. Priorities are supplying safe and reliable drinking water and facilitating expected growth.

*Grant County*


* City of Grand Coulee: $65,500 for the Grand Coulee Reservoir and Booster Station Condition and Capacity Analysis project. Using PWB funds, the city will evaluate its water system, focusing on reservoirs and booster pump stations, many of which were built 50 to 85 years ago and are beyond their useful life.
* Town of Coulee City: $58,000 for the Coulee City Small Water System Management Plan. The town will identify deficiencies in its water system and prepare for improvements to ensure safe, reliable drinking water.
* City of Soap Lake: $95,500 for the Soap Lake Wastewater Facility Plan. The city will use PWB funds to complete a wastewater facility plan, which will guide future work on reliable wastewater treatment.

*Grays Harbor County*


* City of Westport: $80,000 for the Westport Water Storage Study. The city’s available water storage is considered deficient by approximately 1.4 million gallons. PWB funds will be used to plan for adequate water storage, which is critical to maintain water availability during emergencies, droughts or other water shortages.

*King County*


* City of Bothell: $250,000 for the Maywood Water Reservoir Replacement Design project. The Maywood Hills water reservoir is over 60 years old and no longer provides sufficient storage or pressure. PWB funds will assist in the design of the replacement reservoir, improving water quality and pressure.

*Pend Oreille County*


* City of Newport: $920,000 for the Newport Wastewater Treatment Facility Improvements project. The city plans to design environmental and health and safety improvements for its wastewater treatment plant.

“These funds are crucial for moving forward with the highest-priority phase of improvements,” Newport City Administrator Abby Gribi said. “PWB funding will support the critical design steps necessary for long-term reliability, safety, and compliance with regulatory standards.”

As the board named awards, it also opened applications for construction, pre-construction and emergency projects [ [link removed] ]. PWB has up to $100.3 million for construction projects for applications through Aug. 8, and $7.5 million each for pre-construction and emergency infrastructure projects, which are open continuously until funds are exhausted. For this fall, construction and emergency award interest rates are expected between 1.06% and 2.12%, and pre-construction awards are expected between 0.53% and 1.06% interest, depending on community hardship.

"Photo: A pipe failure at the Sunnyside wastewater treatment plant"




The Washington State Public Works Board was created by the Legislature in 1985. Since its creation, the 13-member board has provided more than $3.6 billion to over 2,200 infrastructure projects across the state. The purpose of PWB is to encourage self-reliance by local governments in meeting their public works needs and to assist in the financing of critical local public works projects through loans, grants, and technical assistance. For more information, visit our website [ [link removed] ].








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