History

DRWA is a legal entity formed in May 2005. A Feasibility Study was completed in June 2006 and an addendum was completed in May 2007, indicating this system is financially, environmentally. and operationally feasible. Interstate Engineering finished the addendum to the study with a final location for an intake structure, pump house, and water treatment facility located at the North Fork of Rock Creek on Fort Peck Lake. They also addressed the large number of additional users who signed up following completion of the original Feasibility Study.

In 2010, the Rural Water Act of 2006 rules were enacted. In June 2010, DRWA received a letter stating they were eligible for an appraisal investigation under the Rural Water Act of 2006. In September 2010, the investigation was completed and is was determined DRWA was one of the systems being included in the appraisal. In May 2011 there was an additional hearing held with the Water and Power Subcommittee of the Natural Resource and Energy Committee. The hearing determined DRWA must follow the newly instated requirements of the Rural Water Act of 2006. As a result another Feasibility Study was required to be completed regarding DRWA.

DRWA had been working with the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) to meet their requirements of the 2006 Rural Water Act. That ten year act sunset in September 2016. The completed Feasibility Study includes the entire DRWA service area, so while working through the BOR process, DRWA continues to research possible options for providing water in the interim.

The City of Sidney and Richland County partnered with DRWA to construct the first DRWA pipeline south of Sidney. The Sidney South line was active with the first DRWA users in September 2014

Planning efforts have been made to identify possible pipeline routes to provide water to the Town of Fairview. In April 2014 , DRWA made a decision to move forward with efforts to fund construction of a pipeline that would include Culbertson, Lambert, and Fairview, serving rural users in between. DRWA is currently working on funding sources to make the Culbertson Lambert Fairview line a reality, and would use the Culbertson Water Treatment Plant as an interim source.

Dry-Redwater began work on its Sidney South East Yellowstone Extension, which extends off the existing Sidney South water line, in September 2016. The first users went live in June 2018, with the remaining users connected in the following months.

The Sidney Circle Water System Improvement Project serves public water to the following subdivisions near Sidney, MT: Sidney Circle, Goss Homesites, Schilling Homesites, and Green Acres, and construction began in summer of 2018. The pipeline extends off the existing Sidney South line, and includes placement of a booster station, 300 feet of 12 inch watermain, and 11,700 feet of 6 inch watermain to the included subdivisions. These updates service approximately 55 EDU's. This extension went live in December 2018.

DRWA received its long awaited Federal Authorization in December of 2020 via the passage of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, though received no appropriations. BOR appropriated $5 million via the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

The Sidney Circle Water Sewer Improvements Project is a partnership between Richland County and DRWA to solve an over 40 year No Build Order in Richland County. DRWA and Richland County brought everyone in the Sidney Circle Subdivision access to sewer services, rather than relying on failing infrastructure or personal lagoon systems. DRWA added 16 additional water services, as well as 34 sewer services. These customers were connected in Early 2022.