(KLZA)--Falls City Council members approved spending nearly $345-thousand in American Rescue Plan Act funds on water and wastewater upgrades when they met Monday evening. 

The scope of where those funds can be spent is extremely limited. 

Utility Superintendent Ray Luhring said one project coming up will be necessitated by bridge upgrades by the Burlington Northern – Santa Fe Railroad which is replacing two bridges in the Preston area.  The City's 20-inch line that carries water from the water plant at Rulo into Falls City is attached to one of the bridges and must be removed.

The line must be bored beneath the Nemaha River and the estimate for the work is up to one-million dollars. 

The water line project will need to be done in the next year.

Another project needing to be funded is cleaning out the reed beds at the wastewater treatment plant.  

The cleanout is overdue and will cost an estimated $100-thousand if the reeds can be reused.  If new reeds that are native to Nebraska are required,  the cost of the project could double. 

The third project is some new lining for manholes and water manes at a cost estimated at $550-thousand.