I often tell my kids: if you don’t get started, you’ll never get finished. That is certainly true when it comes to water infrastructure for the next 100 years in our state.

The conceptual water treatment system is being developed by the WDRWS engineering team. As a majority of WDRWS Members use groundwater, fully treated water is planned for the system with a water treatment plant near the proposed intake in Lake Oahe.

The Western Dakota Regional Water System (WDRWS) kicked off a very active year in Washington as we continue advancing the federal legislation necessary to move forward. Our work in Congress is focused on securing authorization for a Bureau of Reclamation feasibility study that will evaluate the development of a municipal, rural, and industrial water supply from the Missouri River for western South Dakota.

Sen. Mortenson said: "I now think that might be the most important infrastructure project in our state is to start getting the state ready to meet its federal match. The Feds always provide 70-80% of that money. When you're talking about a project that large that serves that many people - including our Tribal areas, particularly Rosebud and Pine Ridge - we got to be ready with a significant amount of money."

Warm, dry winter and extreme wind gusts fuel fire danger and force cattle producers to weigh difficult decisions

Proposals include money for roads near Air Force base, water projects, grants for nonprofits serving abuse victims