State Bonding Bill Has 13.2M For Major Rochester Utility Project

Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News) - The $1.2 billion bonding bill that was approved in the final hours of the 2026 Minnesota legislative session includes a significant appropriation for a Rochester project.

Funding For First Phase

The City of Rochester went to the Legislature this year with a request for $9.2 million to help fund the first phase of the East Zumbro Sewer and Water Project. The bonding bill includes more than $13.2 million for the project.

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Construction Starting Next Year

The first phase is scheduled to begin this year with design and approval work, with construction beginning next year and continuing into 2028. According to the city's bonding request, the project will upsize the sewer and water pipes that run from the Rochester Wastewater Treatment Plant to the Rochester Airport.

Relieve Critical Bottlenecks in Current System

The city says the upgrade will unlock more than 1,000 developable acres that are currently constrained by the existing water and sewer pipe networks. The current system has created a critical bottleneck where a single 12-inch water main crosses Highway 52. The document says upsizing the pipes could triple capacity, with the plan calling for the replacement of the existing 24-inch diameter sanitary sewer pipes with new pipes as large as 60 inches in diameter.

Completion in 2031

The first phase will begin at the north end of the project at Silver Lake, with the second and future phases extending the upsized water and sewer pipes farther south. If all goes well, the city hopes to complete construction in 2031.

Additional State Funding Requested

The city is also hoping for additional financial assistance from the state. The initial funding request indicates future requests will bring the total amount of state bonding support to nearly $30 million, which would cover approximately 50% of the overall cost of the project.