NORTH DAKOTA (KXNET) — In continuing coverage of the Red River Valley Water supply project, we want to answer one ongoing question from not only affected landowners but our viewers too.
Back in the early 2000s when the pipeline was still in its earlier planning phases, the state and local water project had a price tag of $781 million.
The top possible routes for the water supply would generally follow corridors along Interstate 94 or North Dakota Highway 200.
Now in 2022, we know that is not the case, The Red River Valley Water Supply pipeline is set to host intake in the Washburn area, go up through Carrington, and hit some other areas until it reaches its destination in the eastern part of the state.
The modern plan impacts a lot more people.
So why are they not running the pipeline along I-94?
KX News posed that question to Senator John Hoeven.
“A variety of reasons. Mostly because it makes more sense. It’s more cost-effective if we can do it through what we call ENDAWS, which is where we bring it through the McCluskey canal but formally the federal government was blocking that, OK. But, we got the approval. We worked to get it through, so we now have the approval, so we don’t have to take it down to a 94, cause that would be a lot further to take it all the way south and then take it to the east, more expensive, more difficult to do. Not only to build it. But, remember you got to pump the water and it will cost a lot more to operate,” he said.
This project will run 167 miles of steel pipe, which is six feet in diameter.
This is a developing story.