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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MEDIA CONTACT:
Dominica Bernstein, 651.297.8150
Dominica.Bernstein@house.mn.gov
News Release
Rep. Erica Schwartz Secures Critical Investment for Lafayette Water Treatment Facility
ST. PAUL, MN – This legislative session, Representative Erica Schwartz secured nearly $1.9 million to address long-standing water treatment challenges at the Lafayette Water Treatment Facility, delivering a major win for the community and the families who depend on safe, reliable drinking water every day.
House File 0448 appropriates nearly $1.9 million for the construction and installation of a reverse osmosis system, along with necessary upgrades to the existing treatment plant, to address elevated chloride levels in wastewater and prevent additional drinking water quality violations.
“When I was out on the bonding tour, Lafayette stuck with me,” Schwartz said. “You can read reports and crunch numbers all day long, but nothing compares to standing in a community and hearing what people are actually living through. These are families trying to raise kids, run businesses, and build their lives—and still carrying the stress of wondering about the long-term reliability of something as basic as their water system.”
Schwartz said what stood out most was not just the infrastructure need, but the resilience of the community itself.
“What I saw in Lafayette was a community that has never stopped showing up for itself,” she said. “They have patched, stretched, and maintained what they could for years. But there comes a point where you cannot keep pushing aging systems any further without real investment. That is where the state has to step in.”
The funding will allow Lafayette to move forward with critical upgrades designed to improve water quality, strengthen system reliability, and protect public health for years to come.
“Clean drinking water should never be something a community has to worry about,” Schwartz said. “This is what it looks like when government works the way it should,” she said. “Listening, showing up, and making sure rural communities like Lafayette are not left behind.”
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