Water Dilemma
The city and City Board have a big decision to make-whether to fix up our existing water plant or go with the Rural Water Consortium. At the Informational meeting Tuesday night the engineers reported it would could $312,000 to fix up the water system to new condition and it may last 20 years. We have trouble with the arsenic level in our water, so chemicals have to be added to keep the arsenic below 10.
The city has a $246,000 outstanding debt now on the water system.
If we don’t sign up with rural water now it will cost more to sign up later or we may not even be able to sign up. The Rural Water representative said the average cost for rural water is $49.50 a month plus approximately $4-$5 per 1000 gallons.
Butch Ehrman who lives 3 miles south of Anamoose told me that he pays a base of $41 a month and $4.91 per 1000 gallons for rural water that comes from the south.
A USDA representative reported there is a possibility of a grant/loan for either renovation or joining the Rural Water Consortium. He advised the City Board to raise the water rates no matter what they decide to do.