Indian Hills on list for stimulus money

About $4.32 million has been set aside to help Indian Hills' water system comply with federal arsenic standards.

According to the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection, grant money from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is providing additional grant funds for drinking water.

In order to receive the money, the Indian Hills General Improvement District would have to complete an application this month and decide how they're going to fix their arsenic problem.

Projects that are designed and ready to go are given priority, according to the state.

Indian Hills is 22nd on the list of projects where the drinking water involves chronic health risks. The top of the list is Carson City Utilities, which is seeking $3.4 million to for compliance with arsenic and uranium standards.

Topaz Lodge Water Co. is seventh on the priority list with $700,000 reserved, also to comply with arsenic and uranium standards.

The city of Yerington has the only water system with more money set aside than Indian Hills.

Indian Hills is also on the list for $427,000 to repair its storage tanks.

The town of Minden is on the list for more than $10 million for rehabilitation, including $6.5 million for a new well and a pipeline to the East Valley.

The recovery act provided additional grant funding to the state for the drinking water and clean water revolving loan funds. The recovery act does not require a 20 percent match. The act requires the use of iron and steel made in the U.S., and that any project funded must pay prevailing wages.

With 5,400 customers, Indian Hills came up short when the federal government revised its arsenic standards. The district obtained a waiver while it worked on a solution, but that waiver expired in January.

The district has been working on an arsenic treatment plant, which may be closer to completion for stimulus package purpose than a proposed pipeline from Minden.