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A new structure is rapidly taking form northeast of Britton. Perched on a snowy hill with a picturesque view of the surrounding countryside, a crane and a team of workers are constructing the new BDM water treatment plant—a project that has progressed swiftly over the past few months.
In mid-August, a groundbreaking ceremony was held at the site, featuring dignitaries wielding ceremonial shovels. At the time, only a cement floor and dirt work hinted at the building’s potential. Now, just a few months later, the scale of this ambitious undertaking is becoming clear.
BDM Rural Water Systems General Manager, Rod Kappes, describes the new plant as a “sister” facility to the existing treatment plant located just a mile and a half away. Both plants will tap into the same Middle-James Aquifer, which supplies treated water to thousands of customers and numerous bulk water users across Marshall, Day, Brown, and Roberts Counties.
To support the new plant, BDM has drilled five additional wells. “From our testing, it looks like the new wells are equal to or better than the wells at the existing plant,” said Kappes. He added that the new facility will integrate seamlessly with existing infrastructure, allowing water to be redirected to the current plant when needed.
While the new plant won’t quite double the volume of water drawn from the aquifer due to permit restrictions, it will significantly enhance production. “It will double our ability to produce water,” emphasized Kappes. “This includes pumping, treating, and delivering water.”
The facility’s design includes a variety of specialized areas. Outside, a large rectangular backwash pond will manage wastewater. Inside, designated rooms will house critical systems, including a generator for backup power, a self-contained chlorine room, and an area for water testing. According to Kappes, an operator will spend two to three hours at the plant daily for routine checks and sampling.
The largest room in the plant, mostly empty at present, will eventually house piping and filtration systems. Adjacent to this space is a room containing motors and pumps that will pressurize water as it flows to reservoirs. The entire operation will be managed by a sophisticated computer program called SCADA, which automates processes and includes an advanced alarm system to address any issues. “It essentially runs by itself, when there are no issues ” noted Kappes.
The additional capacity provided by the new plant will help meet the demand of BDM’s 1,500-mile pipeline network, which delivers over 400 million gallons of water annually. Beyond increased capacity, the new facility will introduce a crucial element that has been missing: redundancy. “Right now, we don’t have redundancy in the system,” Kappes explained. “Our existing plant is being pushed beyond its design capacity. With the new plant, we’ll be able to take the other plant offline for maintenance if necessary.”
Despite some potential supply chain delays, the project remains ahead of schedule. “We’re predicting late 2025 or 2026 for the plant to come online,” said Kappes. Swanberg Construction, based in Valley City, ND, is the primary contractor for the $15 million project.
Funding for the new plant includes $5.268 million in grants, $8 million in loans (with $500,000 forgiven), and internal funds set aside by BDM for capital improvements.
“This is our most significant capital infrastructure project since we built the existing plant,” Kappes noted. “And with our normal growth projections, we anticipate this facility will meet our needs for the next 20 to 25 years.”
