Hoback water district seeks $300,000 county backstop

A $300,000 Teton County commitment would help the Hoback Junction Water and Sewer District cover a $495,000 funding gap and get state permission to bid a clean drinking water project. The district says the money is needed because the Wyoming Water Development Commission requires the funding commitment before the project can go to bid district resolution.

The request is structured as a backstop, not an immediate check. The district says it would cover the other $200,000 if necessary and hopes the county funds will not be needed, because the budget includes a required 15% contingency and the district is seeking other funders, including the United States Department of Agriculture. For Hoback residents dealing with unsafe drinking water, the commission's question is whether to put another $300,000 behind the project so the financing package can clear the next state hurdle.