By The Chronicle, 7/27/99, The Chronicle
PE ELL - On Friday, Pe Ell will be one step closer to building its new water treatment plant after its mayor signs paperwork allowing the town a $2 million grant and loan package.
Although the $650,000 loan will cost each residence an additional $10.40 a month down the road, the town will receive with the loan a $1.35 million grant, as well as a $320,000 giant from the Department for Community, Trade and Economic Development.
"We've been working on this for a year," said Mayor John Penberth, "but this is just another step."
The announcement comes less than two weeks after the state Department of Health lifted the town's boil-water order.
The order had been in effect since April 1998, but was lifted after $52,000 in improvements were made to Pe Ell's water treatment plant.
Penberth said if Pe Ell does receive the grant and loan package, the town will first replace the portion of its raw water line that was damaged last winter. It would begin work 30 to 60 days after the package was authorized.
The money also may be used to build a model of the proposed water treatment plant, which must be in place for a year before the actual plant may be built.
Some residents may be upset that the original loan and grant figures were more appealing: $500,000 and $1.5 million respectively.
"Because it's so competitive, they've changed the numbers a little bit," Penberth said of the package. "But (the higher rates) do not have to go into effect for a couple years until we spend the money."
The Pe Ell Town Council authorized Monday night that Penberth sign the loan and grant papers.
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