<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645121093327.png" alt="During flooding in 2019, a well operated by the City of Lincoln quickly was inundated by floodwaters (Courtesy of City of Lincoln)" />
 <figcaption>During flooding in 2019, a well operated by the City of Lincoln quickly was inundated by floodwaters (Courtesy of City of Lincoln)</figcaption>
 </figure>By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/02/16/lincoln-seeks-200-million-and-possible-help-from-mud-to-solve-water-problem/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN
 — The state’s second-largest city has a water problem, and it’s asking 
for federal funds and possibly help from Omaha’s Metropolitan Utilities 
District to solve it.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=306vBy37F98">Flooding in 2019</a>
 inundated Lincoln’s main water field along the Platte River near 
Ashland, prompting concerns that the city’s primary source of drinking 
water could be shut down.That
 “near crisis,” Lincoln officials said, prompted a search for a&nbsp; second 
source of water, in addition to the Platte River, to provide for 
anticipated growth in the Capital City.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645121159037.jpeg" alt="State Sen. Ellot Bostar of Lincoln (Craig Chandler/University Communication)" />
 <figcaption>State Sen. Ellot Bostar of Lincoln (Craig Chandler/University Communication)</figcaption>
 </figure>“It
 jarred our community from a water reliability standpoint,” said 
Elizabeth Elliott, the city’s director of transportation and utilities.She
 was among officials who testified in favor of a bill, introduced by 
State Sen. Eliott Bostar of Lincoln, to earmark $200 million in federal 
American Rescue Plan Act funds for communities of Lincoln’s size to find
 new water sources.<h2>Two options being explored</h2>Those
 funds, according to Legislative Bill 1081, could be used for 
construction of new well fields, acquisition of land for water pipelines
 and construction of pipelines 25 miles in length or longer.“We
 are unlikely to see such an infusion of federal funds again,” Bostar 
said. “It’s important that we use this money where it can do the most 
good.”He
 said that Lincoln’s population is expected to grow from the current 
291,677 to 470,000 by 2060 but that work should begin now on such a 
long-term project.Elliott
 said the city is exploring two options: either hooking up to MUD’s 
Missouri River water plant or having Lincoln build its own pipeline (of 
perhaps 50 miles in length) to the Missouri River. She estimated it 
would cost $350 million to $800 million, depending on which option was 
chosen.<h2>Could help irrigators</h2>The
 Lincoln water official said obtaining a second source of water other 
than the Platte could also help farmers. With their current setup, if 
there was an extreme drought, Elliott said, Lincoln could make a “call” 
on the Platte River’s water, which would shut down some irrigators 
upstream. With a backup source of water, that “call” wouldn’t be needed.No opposition testimony to the bill was presented during a public hearing before the Legislature’s Natural Resources Committee.Bostar said Lincoln could face water restrictions in a decade unless a second source of water is found.

Lincoln seeks $200M, and possible help from MUD, to solve water problem