Bond issue on ballot for water district

Voters in Gordonville and Dutchtown will face a $600,000 bond issue to improve their water system in the April 5 election.

According to Brad Burgess, president of Public Water District No. 4, the bond issue would pay for a new water tank to provide additional storage as well as enlargement of water lines to improve flow to areas experiencing low water pressure.

The bonds would also pay for disinfection facilities to meet future water quality requirements.

Burgess said the bonds would cost the average homeowner an extra $5.21 a month.

The need for improvements in the water district were brought to light following a study by a civil engineering firm in 2004.

Rich Cochran, a senior engineer at Waters Engineerings in Sikeston, Mo., said his firm evaluated the system's wells, lines and storage tank.

"There are areas in the system that have low pressure under high-use conditions," Cochran said. "That could be a potential cause of problems, especially as the district grows."

Right now, there are 272 homes hooked up to the system, but Burgess said a new subdivision is being built in one of the areas that experience low water pressure. Residents living in Dutchtown also have a problem with low pressure, Burgess said.

"If someone's taking a shower, you can't use the water anywhere else in the house or the pressure gets too low," he said.

cmiller@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 128