The Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe of South Dakota hopes the recent winter storm crisis on the reservation will lead to upgrades in the water system that serves the reservation.

The system needs at least $90 million in work for a new treatment plant and to replace aging and damaged pipes. The tribe has lobbied for money for years.

"Without the water infrastructure, the water pressure, we can't build new homes and we can't build new businesses,” Chairman Joseph Brings Plenty told KELO-TV. “So it's basically keeping a very impoverished tribe, impoverished."

The storm knocked out power and water to about 14,000 people on the reservation.

Get the Story:
Reservation Water System Needs Upgrade (KELO-TV 2/17)

Related Stories:
More money pledged for Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe (2/17)
Donations aid Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe after storm (2/16)
Column: Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe weathers storm (2/15)
Opinion: Broken promises for winter storm response (2/15)
Over $250K donated for Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe (2/12)
USA Today Blog: World ignoring South Dakota tribes (2/11)
Opinion: Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe still needs help (2/10)
SCIA 'negligent' for South Dakota tribes hit by storms (2/9)
San Manuel Band creates fund for tribes hit by storms (02/03)
Ho-Chunk Nation helps out Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe (02/03)
Power returning to Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation (2/1)
Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe struggles after big storm (1/28)
Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe out of water after storm (1/27)
Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation battered by storm (1/26)