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DRWA Rural Water Project Economic and Financial Feasibility Study

Since 2005, the Dry-Redwater Regional Water Authority (DRWA) has been expanding their infrastructure presence in their five-county service area. This is so rural residents on individual private wells can connect to a reliable and clean water supply. However, the proposed actions for this rural water system include extensive infrastructure and associated costs.

Working with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, we¡¯re estimating the total economic benefit of DRWA providing higher quality water and the community¡¯s ability to pay consistent with federal guidelines. Our methodology for both analyses incorporates U.S. Department of Interior guidance for water resources.

Dependent on groundwater, residents in eastern Montana have often resorted to hauling or buying bottled water to compensate for the poor quality of their water supply. DRWA¡¯s efforts support the goals of encouraging a vibrant rural economy, providing safe, reliable, and robust sources of drinking water for more than 4,000 households unserved residents, and mitigating the financial burden on both sides.