The city’s $11 million water reuse plant expansion will receive a $644,862 grant thanks to federal stimulus funding, said Karen Goschen, Sequim administrative services director.

"That saves us from having to borrow that $644,862," she said.

Expansion of the city’s water reuse plant is required by the city’s National Pollution Discharge Elimination System permit.

The project’s Phase 1A will increase the plant’s flow capacity to 1.1 million gallons a day from 800,000 gallons a day.

Once the state budget was finalized, the project was slated to receive a $1.81 million grant from the state’s Centennial Clean Water Fund and a $5.9 million loan from the Water Pollution Control Revolving Loan Fund.

Now the project will receive a grant of $2.46 million instead of $1.81 million.

Ecology can begin distributing the money once the state Legislature passes Substitute House Bill 2116 and the capital budget.

The city operates a water reclamation plant that produces about 627,000 gallons daily of "Class A" water, the highest class of reclaimed water. It has had organic, inorganic and biological impurities removed but is not approved as drinking water.

The expansion project includes a modified equalization basin, compartmentalized aeration basin designed to remove nitrogen, a new secondary clarifier, installation of new effluent cloth filters and an upgrade of the ultraviolet disinfection system.

The city uses reclaimed water to irrigate the reclaimed water demonstration site and most of Carrie Blake Park, plus street landscaping on Bell Street and remote irrigation by truck citywide.

The reclaimed water demonstration site also supplies reclaimed water to the city fishpond and stream augmentation to Bell Creek. It also supplies water for public toilets, street sweeping and two commercial users.

Reach Brian Gawley at bgawley@sequimgazette.com.