Bipartisan Infrastructure Law brings water to Madison, South Dakota; city becomes 19th member to receive water from the project
The Lewis & Clark Regional Water System ribbon cutting ceremony was held in front of the one-million-gallon ground-storage reservoir near Madison.
MADISON, S.D. – The Bureau of Reclamation today celebrated the connection of Madison, South Dakota, as the 19th member of the Lewis & Clark Regional Water System during a ribbon-cutting at the Madison Reservoir.
With substantial completion on the one-million-gallon ground-storage reservoir near Madison, water from the Lewis & Clark Regional Water System started flowing to the city on August 2.
Bureau of Reclamation Deputy Commissioner Roque Sánchez joined local and federal leaders at the ribbon-cutting ceremony where they highlighted the $152.5 million investment provided through President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for the project. This investment has accelerated the connection of Madison to the system by almost a decade. The project will expand access to clean drinking water to an estimated 350,000 people in rural South Dakota, Minnesota, and Iowa upon completion.
President Biden’s Investing in America agenda represents the largest investment in climate resilience in the nation’s history and provides much-needed resources to enhance Western communities’ resilience to drought and the effects of climate change. Through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Reclamation is investing a total of $8.3 billion over five years for water infrastructure projects, including rural water, water storage, conservation and conveyance, nature-based solutions, dam safety, water purification and reuse, and desalination. Since the President signed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in November 2021, Reclamation has announced $4.2 billion for 575 projects to date.
“Reclamation is committed to helping working families, often in rural communities, who face hazardous pollution from groundwater and declining, unreliable aquifers,” said Sánchez. “Reclamation is thrilled to provide funding for this project through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to support and accelerate its completion.”
"We are proud to unite with our State and Lewis & Clark partners,” said Reclamation Missouri Basin Regional Director Brent Esplin. “It is exciting to be here today to celebrate this momentous occasion with you. Lewis & Clark draws water from a series of wells that tap into an aquifer along the banks of the Missouri River, and members will receive 45 million gallons per day of treated, clean, and reliable water."
"Lewis & Clark will ultimately provide a desperately needed source of quality, reliable drinking water to over 350,000 people in the tristate region," said Reclamation Dakotas Area Manager Joe Hall. "The success of this one-of-a-kind project is a testament to the cooperative efforts of the federal government, states of South Dakota, Iowa and Minnesota and 20 local governments."
“A heartfelt congratulations to Madison on this big day that was 34 ½ years in the making," said Lewis & Clark Regional Water System Executive Director Troy Larson. "Madison is an original member of Lewis and Clark. The Articles of Incorporation for Lewis & Clark were signed on January 29, 1990 - all good things are worth the wait, and I have no doubt Madison will find that to be the case.”
The capacity of the completed system will be up to 45 million gallons per day, with the ability to expand to 60 MGD in the future. After 23 years in the making, Lewis & Clark finally began delivering water to the first 11 members on July 30, 2012, and is currently serving 19 members. Sibley, Iowa is expected to be the final member connected this fall.
