Jill Schramm/MDN
Jason Sorenson, Utilities director for the City of Minot, third from right, explains the operation of a clarifier at the Minot Water Treatment Plant during a public tour in May 2023. The city is cooperating in a regional storage project to ensure a reliable supply of carbon dioxide used in water treatment and avoid associated water restrictions.
Investments into the airport terminal and city water treatment were among actions taken by the Minot City Council Monday.
The terminal building, constructed in 2016, has had a control panel malfunction in its fire alarm panel. No longer emitting audible alarms, the fire panel control system must be replaced. Currently, the terminal building no longer meets ADA compliance for people with disabilities and must remain under fire watch any time it is occupied, according to Airport Director Jennifer Eckman.
A state grant will cover $53,551 of the $146,814 cost to make the repairs.
The council also approved spending $60,000 as the city’s share in design costs for a regional carbon dioxide storage facility in Bismarck. Carbon dioxide is used in water treatment, and having a storage facility will ease the problem of shortages when the supplier is off-line.
City Utilities Director Jason Sorenson said the shortage of CO2 has led to water restrictions in Minot twice in the past three years.
He said if the city were to construct its own storage facility, the work would need to be incorporated into the next treatment plant expansion as part of the Northwest Area Water Supply project to remain affordable. Completion in that case wouldn’t happen for about two and half years, he said.
The proposed facility in Bismarck is estimated to cost $4.2 million, and the state is providing a grant to cover 60% of the cost. Although dependent on the number of communities that collaborate on the project, Minot’s estimated share of the construction cost is $590,000.