Public Works Board awards $214 million for construction, planning, flood resilience and emergency projects

What this means

A factual summary is pending editorial review. The complete official release is reproduced below with issuer attribution and a direct link to the original publication.

Official release

Sixty-five local governments receive funding to build, plan and repair critical infrastructure

OLYMPIA, Wash. – At its Oct. 2 business meeting, the Washington State Public Works Board (PWB) awarded $214 million in grants and low-interest loans to 65 local governments. This includes $205 million for 47 construction projects, $4.6 million for 11 preconstruction projects, $4.3 million for six flood resilience projects and $50,000 for one emergency project.

These grants and low-interest loans will assist communities to protect public health and safety, plan for growth, improve resilience and restore habitat.

“The PWB provides communities with a funding partner that can help address immediate needs while also supporting long-term solutions and resilience,” said PWB Vice Chair Dean Reynolds. “Public infrastructure is something people rely on every day, often without thinking about it; clean drinking water, reliable wastewater systems, safe roads and bridges, stormwater systems and other essential services.”

Construction awards: $205 million invested in 47 communities

Okanogan

Okanogan in Okanogan County received an $8 million loan and $2 million grant to bring the city’s aging wastewater treatment facility up to current standards.

The city built most of the plant in 1983, and much of its equipment is more than 40 years old. The project will upgrade worn out equipment and the plant’s electrical system. It will also build a new solids handling building and a new pump station. The pump station will keep the plant running when the Okanogan River floods. The project builds on a $1 million PWB award the city received to design the upgrades.

“Funding this project shifts the city from reactive emergency projects to proactive public safety and environmental protection,” City Clerk and Treasurer Jessica Blake wrote in the project application.

Washougal

Washougal in Clark County received $3 million to improve safety and mobility on 32nd Street. The project will reduce delays for residents, businesses and emergency responders on the important corridor.

The project “represents a once-in-a-generation investment in critical public infrastructure that will improve safety, mobility, economic vitality and quality of life,” wrote City Manager David Scott in the funding application. “As freight rail traffic continues to grow, conflicts between trains and roadway users will become more frequent and more disruptive.”

Construction awards went to 47 projects across Benton, Chelan, Clallam, Clark, Douglas, Grant, Jefferson, King, Kitsap, Kittitas, Lewis, Okanogan, Pacific, Pend Oreille, Pierce, Skagit, Snohomish, Spokane, Stevens, Thurston, Walla Walla, Whatcom, Whitman and Yakima counties.

View the full list of construction awards (PDF)

The construction funding cycle is currently closed. Applications for the next cycle are expected to open in spring of 2027.

Pre-construction awards: $4.6 million invested in 11 communities

City of Long Beach

Long Beach in Pacific County received $255,051 to update its water system plan. The city’s last plan identified more than $14 million in needed improvements, but funding constraints have prevented the city from completing much of that work. The PWB award will help the city update its plan to build a more resilient system.

City Administrator David Glasson described the project as a “critical first step toward resolving the City’s long-term water system needs.”

Pre-construction awards went to 11 projects across Adams, Benton, Franklin, Grant, Grays Harbor, Jefferson, Kittitas, Skagit, Skamania, Stevens and Whitman counties.

View the full list of pre-construction awards (PDF)

Pre-construction applications are open until funds are exhausted. The program currently has close to $15.4 million available.

Flood resilience grants: Communities continue rebuilding

Six communities across Benton, King, Kittitas and Whatcom counties also received $4.3 million from the Flood Resilience Grant Program. The help communities repair and replace infrastructure damaged in the December 2025 floods. The PWB awarded the first round of grants in September. With these new awards, all program funds have been committed in support of community recovery efforts.

City of West Richland

West Richland in Benton County received a $1 million grant to rebuild the only access road to its wastewater treatment plant. The December 2025 floods caused a culvert beneath the road to fail, preventing operators from reaching the plant. The project will lower portions of the road to allow flood waters to pass over it, rather than erode it from underneath.

“We’re grateful to the Public Works Board and the Department of Commerce for investing in our community’s resilience,” said West Richland Mayor Fred Brink. “These improvements will help protect public health and the Yakima River during future floods.”

Cedar River Water & Sewer District

The Cedar River Water & Sewer District in King County received a $740,000 grant to replace a water main that was destroyed in the December floods. Until it is replaced, 1,300 customers in the eastern service area have no backup water supply and less water available to fight fires.

King County Drainage District No. 7

King County Drainage District No. 7 received a $430,000 grant to repair an aging levee near Cherry Creek. Snoqualmie River floodwaters overtopped the levee in December 2025. The project will also restore salmon habitat in Cherry Creek.

City of North Bend

North Bend in King County received a $1,265,900 grant to replace and upgrade aging wastewater infrastructure in the south part of the city. During the December 2025 floods, backflow carried sediment and debris into the South Fork lift station, flooding pumps and electrical equipment. The project will floodproof and raise parts of the station to reduce the risk of sewer overflows.

City of Roslyn

Roslyn in Kittitas County received a $364,100 grant to replace undersized storm pipes. The December 2025 floods showed the current system is too small to protect against flooding. Floodwater damaged neighborhood property and raised the risk of sinkholes and pavement damage. The project will rebuild curbs, move storm drains to safer spots in city streets and relocate pipes that now run under private homes.

City of Everson

Everson in Whatcom County received a $500,000 grant to plan a flood wall around its wastewater treatment facilities. The December floods put the facilities completely underwater. Equipment stopped working, and operators had to leave. The flood wall will help keep the plant running during future floods and reduce the risk of untreated wastewater reaching the environment.

Emergency award

Mason County received a $42,500 loan and a $7,500 grant to replace a 27-foot treated timber pile cap on the Stretch Island Bridge on East Eckert Road. The bridge is the only route onto the island for about 180 permanent residents, emergency responders and sanitation services. The repair will reduce safety risks for drivers and restore reliable access to the island.

Applications for the emergency funding program are open until funds are exhausted. The board currently has $5.1 million remaining for the emergency program.

About the Washington State Public Works Board

The Washington State Public Works Board was created by the Legislature in 1985. Since its creation, the 13-member board has provided more than $3.8 billion to over 2,300 infrastructure projects across the state. The purpose of the board is to encourage self-reliance by local governments in meeting their public works needs and to assist in the financing of critical public works projects by making loans, grants, financing guarantees, and technical assistance available to local governments for these projects. For more information, visit our website.

The Flood Resilience Grant Program is supported with funding from Washington’s Climate Commitment Act. The CCA supports Washington’s climate action efforts by putting cap-and-invest dollars to work reducing climate pollution, creating jobs, and improving public health. Information about the CCA is available at www.climate.wa.gov.

Release text attributed to Washington Department of Commerce. Consult the official publication for any subsequent corrections or updates.