Foley Receives $8 Million in Bonding Money for Wastewater Project

FOLEY – A nearly $2 billion bonding bill has been passed by state legislators, and Foley has received nearly half of the funds needed to connect with St. Cloud’s wastewater treatment system.

“I think a lot of us were not expecting a deal to be made this late in the year,” City Administrator Sarah Brunn said. “I think we were all prepared for this to roll into next year."

Foley is currently out of wastewater capacity, and it's kept the city from expanding residentially and commercially, Brunn said. The project, estimated to cost over $22 million, received $8 million in bonding money. The project’s price tag includes a connection fee to St. Cloud’s wastewater system and an 11 mile-long force main.

Brunn says they also plan to add a fiber optic line to bring broadband internet to Foley.

“Since we’re already going to be doing that work, it seems like the right time for us to expand our internet capabilities,” Brunn said.

Brunn says project design plans will be completed by March of 2021. The city hopes to have plans approved by the MPCA in June in order to bid them out by July.

“The fact that the state money has come through and we’re on the list – that gives us the go-ahead to move forward to the next step," Brunn said." It will move very quickly now. It's very exciting."