WHO WANTS TO PAY FOR SEWER IMPROVEMENTS? A NORTH DAKOTA CITY USES MASTER PLANNING TO DEMONSTRATE NEED FOR SALES TAX FUNDING OF MAJOR COLLECTION SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS

Facing over 240 million (in 2004 dollars) of planned capital improvements for its wastewater utility over 25 years, the City of Fargo, North Dakota needed to figure out a means to pay for the improvements. The improvements include expansion of the City's interceptor sewer system, providing the capacity to manage wet-weather flows, establishing a sewer rehabilitation and replacement program to manage aging infrastructure, and expansion of the City's Wastewater Treatment Facility (WWTF). After a thorough evaluation of the planned expenditures, available revenue, and potential funding sources, the City decided to pursue revenue from a dedicated infrastructure sales tax coupled with reasonable rate increases to fund the planned improvements. This successful approach has provided the City with confidence to proceed with the planned improvements necessary to manage the growth and maintain the reliability of the City's wastewater collection system.