The city of Durango’s wastewater treatment plant was awarded two grants totaling $1.08 million from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, officials said Friday.

The funding will go toward upgrading the sewer system for nutrient removal to comply with state regulations on effluent limits and water quality in the Animas River watershed.

Excessive nutrients from human sewage and lawn fertilizers can harm the water by stimulating algae blooms that consume oxygen and kill fish.

One grant was for $800,000 for planning, and the other grant was for $1 million for design and construction.

Durango was among 21 cities and sanitation districts in Colorado to receive the grants totaling $14.7 million.

Gov. John Hickenlooper said he wanted to make the money available to local governments to offset the costs of state mandates.

Durango City Councilor Sweetie Marbury said city staff members are very aggressive in seeking out funding.

jhaug@durangoherald.com

An earlier version of this story gave an incorrect amount for the grant.