Nebraska Provides Plattsmouth $60.9 Million for Flood-Resilient Water Infrastructure

Nebraska is using its State Revolving Fund (SRF) to help Plattsmouth replace flood-vulnerable water and wastewater infrastructure damaged when the 2019 floods left the city’s facilities inundated and inoperable for months. At an October 22, 2026 event at the Plattsmouth Public Library, Governor Jim Pillen recognized the city’s recovery and resilience efforts alongside Nebraska Department of Water, Energy, and Environment (DWEE) Director Jesse Bradley, Nebraska Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Recovery Section Administrator Donny Christensen, and Plattsmouth Mayor R. Paul Lambert. The work illustrates how state financing can provide early support while communities coordinate longer-term disaster recovery funding.

Plattsmouth received $23 million through the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) to connect its system to the Metropolitan Utilities District of Omaha. The connection is intended to secure reliable, safe drinking water and reduce reliance on wells and treatment infrastructure vulnerable to flooding. The city also received $37.9 million through the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) to build a wastewater lift station that will send wastewater to a new treatment facility protected from the 500-year floodplain. Together, the two components total $60.9 million in financing at a 0% interest rate.

The financing approach has direct relevance for water and wastewater contractors, engineering firms, construction companies, and suppliers tracking municipal resilience work. DWEE used SRF bridge funding so Plattsmouth could begin repairs promptly while Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funding was being secured. The state says the financing followed its SRF memorandum of understanding with FEMA to ensure there is no duplication of funds. Firms pursuing projects supported by multiple funding sources should therefore account for funding eligibility, cost allocation, and coordination requirements when developing scopes, budgets, and proposals.

The state’s broader pipeline may provide additional opportunities beyond Plattsmouth. DWEE expects to fund about 40 additional community water and wastewater projects totaling approximately $220 million over the next two years. Contractors can review the anticipated project pipeline, including the 2027 Intended Use Plan (IUP), to identify prospective work and prepare for local project schedules and procurement requirements. While the source does not identify specific solicitations or award dates for those future projects, the funding outlook signals sustained demand for community water, wastewater, and resilience improvements in Nebraska. As Governor Pillen put it, “This project is about more than pipes, valves and equipment. It’s about protecting public health, supporting the community, and investing in Plattsmouth’s future.”

• Plattsmouth financing: Nebraska’s SRF provided $60.9 million at 0% interest for drinking-water and wastewater resilience projects following the 2019 floods.
• Drinking-water scope: $23 million in DWSRF funds supports a connection to the Metropolitan Utilities District of Omaha, reducing dependence on flood-vulnerable wells and treatment.
• Wastewater scope: $37.9 million in CWSRF funds supports a lift station sending wastewater to a treatment facility protected from the 500-year floodplain.
• Recovery financing: DWEE provided bridge funding to enable repairs while FEMA funding could be secured, demonstrating a financing sequence relevant to disaster-recovery projects.
• Compliance consideration: SRF funding is coordinated under a memorandum of understanding with FEMA; project costs must not be duplicated across funding sources.
• Upcoming pipeline: DWEE expects to fund about 40 additional community water and wastewater projects, worth approximately $220 million, over the next two years.
• Contractor action: Monitor the 2027 Intended Use Plan and related State Revolving Fund project information to identify upcoming planning, engineering, construction, and equipment opportunities.
• Market context: Nebraska’s funding priorities connect essential-service restoration with flood resilience, public health protection, and lower taxpayer burden.
• Partnership signals: The project involved city, state, and federal coordination, including DWEE, NEMA, FEMA, and Plattsmouth, underscoring the need for early stakeholder and funding alignment.