QUINCY — The city of Quincy could partner with two local companies to build a plant to treat water used in food processing. The city will sign an application for a $20 million grant as part of a project with Ag-Iris, a consortium of Quincy Foods and Lamb-Weston.

Quincy City Manager Pat Haley said signing the grant application does not commit the city to anything.

“There is no guarantee that we will get (the scholarship), and there is no guarantee that we necessarily have to accept it,” Haley said.

The grant from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation would cover part of the cost of building a new water treatment plant for the water used at the two plants. Currently, that water is treated and discharged into a system that will eventually flow into the Potholes Reservoir.

The three irrigation districts in the Columbia Basin, including the Quincy-Columbia Basin Irrigation District, have asked companies to find another way to store or divert that water. The companies have an alternative, a system that would allow water to be stored, treated and used for other purposes, including irrigation.

Bob Davis, project manager for Quincy Water, told Quincy City Council members that the new plant is scheduled for completion in 2026.

Haley said it’s an expensive project. The grant would cover the costs, but the companies wouldn’t be able to apply for it. The city of Quincy, however, can. The Ag-Iris group would pay to build the facility, but ultimately the city of Quincy would own it, or at least part of it. The city has worked on a similar project with Microsoft, Haley said.

“So that’s the big decision whether we want to do that or not,” Haley said.

The grant application must be submitted soon, so council members were asked to approve it, with the understanding that the city can reject it.

“This gives us time to weigh all the pros and cons of (the city’s) involvement,” Haley said. “There is no guarantee that we will get the grant.”

“I think the bigger decision just needs more time to consider,” Haley said. “While we wait, we can figure out whether or not this is a good idea for the city.”