I know better than anyone that I haven’t written for quite some time. I apologize for that. But now is the perfect time to update you on some questions and concerns that everyone has about our existing water treatment plant.
This website brought to you in part by the following sponsor:
Find out how to advertise here - Email us! [email protected]
Our plant was built in 1977 to take care of the needs of some 750 customers. Our plant was designed to run approximately eight hours per day to meet the needs of our community. Those needs were met, but now it is 2010 and those same needs have changed. Our current plant is "trying" to run 18 to 20 hours on an average day. The plant wasn’t designed for that long of a run time. During peak times of continuous hot, dry weather, our plant can not keep up, running continuously around the clock. A water main break, or heaven forbid a fire, during this peak time would be disastrous.
Over the last several years, there has been much planning, discussing, and number crunching just to keep our plant running. We are currently spending an additional $5,100 per month just to keep band-aids on it. I truly believe that water is a very precious commodity. One that any of us should not take for granted. We are all very accustomed to running to the sink and turning on the tap, sometimes letting more go down the drain than what we actually need. I’m as guilty as the next person. We are more fortunate than most communities, because we have been blessed with a good water source. Unfortunately we don’t have a treatment plant that can keep up with our demands, let alone quality.
After many, many hours of discussion and lots of sleepless nights, the Council, Mayor, and Administrator have decided that we need to put a bond issue before you in the November election. This will allow us to secure funds to build a new water treatment plant. This, I know, will be a much debated issue. Please ask all the questions you want and get the facts about our water plant issues from your Council or City personnel.
We are trying very hard to meet the needs of our community. I believe by getting the correct facts, you will also see the importance of this issue. We are planning town-hall meetings and an open house for you to see first hand what we are up against. I invite and encourage you to take an active part in this important decision.
Until next time,
Barb Ballew, Mayor