Tea, SD - The Board of Directors of the Lewis and Clark Regional Water System today awarded a $16.5 million pipeline contract to Carstensen Contracting of Pipestone, MN, which was more than two million less than the engineer's estimate. This is the first pipeline contract Lewis and Clark has awarded since June 2012. The contract includes 18 miles of primarily 24" pipe that runs from the Minnesota/Iowa border to Luverne. When completed Lewis and Clark will be able to deliver water to Luverne. The substantial completion deadline is November 2015.

Roughly two-thirds of the funds for this project are being provided by the State of Minnesota as a federal funding advance approved during the last legislative session. The rest of the funding is from the FY14 federal appropriation. "We cannot thank the State of Minnesota enough for stepping in the gap in such a big way to keep construction moving forward. Governor Mark Dayton, legislative leadership and local legislators Senator Bill Weber, Representative Rod Hamilton and Representative Joe Schomacker really took the bull by the horns to get the job done." said Chairman Red Arndt of Luverne.

Governor Dayton issued the following statement; "This project is critically important to the people and businesses of southwestern Minnesota. Without it, business growth would be stifled, new jobs would be lost, and residents would continue being forced to buy bottled water. I am very pleased that construction will soon begin on this project. My administration will do everything possible to help see it through to completion."

Local legislators Bill Weber, Rod Hamilton and Joe Schomacker issued the following joint statement; "We know how critically important it is to secure additional water resources for southwest Minnesota and were pleased to play a key role in helping to secure the funding for this construction project during the last legislative session. The job isn't done though until Worthington is connected, but this is a very important step forward."

Lewis and Clark is currently 65 percent complete and is delivering water to 11 of its 20 members. Separate from this contract, Rock County Rural Water District is scheduled to begin receiving water in the spring of 2015. Luverne will be the thirteenth member connected. The City has reserved 821,000 gallons a day.