Green Project Reserve

As a condition to receiving federal funds for drinking water and wastewater infrastructure improvement projects, federal law requires states to allocate not less than 20 percent of funds made available under the Drinking Water and Clean Water State Revolving Fund capitalization grants to projects that address green infrastructure, water conservation, energy efficiency improvements, or other environmentally innovative activities. These four categories of projects are the components of the Green Project Reserve (GPR).

Among the goals of the GPR are to reduce the environmental impact of water and wastewater facilities, minimize water use, and conserve energy, thereby reducing water loss, freeing up funds for public health and environmental enhancement projects, and reducing the strain on the energy grid.

GPR may be used for planning, design, and/or building activities. Projects clearly eligible for GPR are known as categorically eligible projects. Projects not found to be categorically eligible must have a business case providing a well documented justification for the project to be considered a GPR project. Some examples of drinking water infrastructure projects include installing new water meters in previously unmetered systems, purchasing leak detection equipment, and improving on-site facilities, such as installing green roofs for stormwater runoff control and porous pavements. Some examples of wastewater infrastructure projects include maintaining, restoring, or mimicking natural systems to infiltrate, evapotranspirate, or recycle stormwater and economically managing water resources to prevent or remove pollution.

Idaho GPR Projects

Idaho is in compliance with the GPR mandate. Idaho's drinking water and wastewater facilities have focused on water conservation and energy efficiency projects as a way to meet the GPR goal. This approach is expected to have environmental benefits and decrease the burden on ratepayers.

Idaho projects with GPR components include the following:

FY 2012

Cascade (City of) Wastewater System Project: Renovation of the city's gravity wastewater collection system to reduce excessive inflow and infiltration and lift station replacement will reduce energy usage and costs.
Salmon (City of) Wastewater System Project: Installation of remote electronic sensing and control of the treatment plant and lift stations to achieve energy efficiency.
Santa S & W District Wastewater System Project: Renovation of the district's gravity wastewater collection system will reduce energy usage and costs.

FY 2011

In fiscal year 2011, 20 percent or more of funds allocated for drinking water and wastewater infrastructure projects met at least one of the four categories of GPR projects.

Ashton (City of) Drinking Water Project: Replacement of malfunctioning water meters with an automatic meter-reading system and replacement of outdated distribution pipe with new PVC pipe will reduce water consumption and prevent water loss.
Greenleaf (City of) Wastewater Facility Project: Implementation of a slow rate land application and reuse system to replace failing septic systems will minimize energy usage and maintenance.
Idaho City (City of) Drinking Water Project: Replacement of leaking distribution pipe with new HDPE pipe will save water. Upgrades to pumps will reduce energy consumption.
Idaho Falls (City of) Wastewater Facility Renovation and Upgrade: Replacement of the current treatment system with a fine bubble diffusion aeration system will reduce energy consumption.
Mountain Home (City of) Drinking Water Project: Installation of new HDPE transmission piping will conserve water, save energy, and eliminate potential health hazards associated with waterborne pathogens entering the water distribution system.
Orofino (City of) Drinking Water Facility Project: Replacement of the city's conventional dual media filtration plant with a new water treatment plant using membrane filtration technology will reduce the use of chemicals, chemical residuals, and the amount of water required for backwashing. Replacement of pumps and motors will conserve energy.
Potlatch (City of) Wastewater Facility Project: Implementation of a slow rate land application and reuse system will save energy and minimize maintenance.
Rigby (City of) Wastewater System Project: The city will develop a capital improvement plan for energy-efficiency. In addition, the city's gravity wastewater collection system will be renovated to reduce excessive inflow and infiltration, electronics and pumps at the main lift station will be upgraded, and remote electronic sensing will be implemented, thereby reducing energy usage and costs.
Teton Valley (Driggs, City of) Regional Wastewater Facility Project: Installation of a new filter designed to reduce downstream aeration and power usage as well as new energy-efficient pumps and blowers will reduce energy consumption.

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