The South Dakota Board of Water and Natural Resources has approved an additional $6.08 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grants for water quality and drinking water projects, marking the board’s final obligation of ARPA funding.

Of the funding, $3.5 million will support the state’s Riparian Buffer Initiative, which provides payments to landowners implementing practices to improve water quality and reduce nonpoint source pollution. The program has funded 153 contracts protecting more than 320 miles of streambanks and lake shoreline.

Randall Community Water District will receive an additional $1.29 million for a regional water system expansion that includes approximately 38 miles of transmission pipeline, booster stations, storage facilities and upgrades to the Platte Water Treatment Plant. The project also will provide additional water supply to Mitchell.

Another $1.29 million was awarded to Shared Resources for a regional water supply project featuring an 8-million-gallon-per-day treatment plant, well field, distribution pipeline and two storage tanks. Shared Resources is a joint effort between Minnehaha Community Water Corporation and Big Sioux Community Water System.

With the latest awards, South Dakota has obligated approximately $703.1 million in ARPA funding to 199 water, wastewater, stormwater and nonpoint source projects statewide. The funding has helped leverage approximately $1.7 billion in infrastructure improvements, according to the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources.