LAKE WHATCOM, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – Upgrades to one of Lake Whatcom’s water reservoirs are upcoming with funding from FEMA.

The agency announced on Tuesday, Sept. 8 that $62 million in funding has been approved for Washington’s hazard mitigation, public assistance and infrastructure programs.

Over $2 million from Washington’s Hazard Mitigation Grant is being sent to the Lake Whatcom Water and Sewer District for construction of a water reservoir project.

The money will be used to retrofit and integrate a ShakeAlert earthquake early warning system for the reservoir in order to reduce the loss of water services to communities in the event of an earthquake.

The 514-gallon Division 22-1 tank was built in 1971.

Its replacement is being modeled after a nearby tank which was built in 2017.

The grant will fund 75% of construction costs for the replacement of the Division 22-1 reservoir, with construction of the project expected to wrap up by 2028.