Scott County set to vote on water district in April

BENTON, Mo. -- April's ballot will give Scott County rural residents a chance to create a countywide rural water district.

Public Water Supply District No. 4 has been a topic of discussion in the Scott County Commission for about a year, but only now has a chance of becoming a reality.

"This is going to cover the entire area of Scott County not yet in any water district," said Presiding Commissioner Martin Priggel. "It's still very early. All that's happened is the court approved the petition and it will be on the ballot in the April election."

Priggel said that preliminary surveys indicate about 90 percent of those in the area would be interested in participating.

No funding has been secured as of yet, since the district must first be created through a simple majority vote.

The system, with an estimated cost of $20 million, would be paid for through rural development grants and low-interest loans. The cost of any loans would be assessed on customers' water bills.

There are 3,700 potential customers in the proposed district. Joining the water district would be voluntary. If 80 percent of residents in the district signed on, the average cost would be $40.50 a month per customer. If 60 percent signed on, the average cost would be $47.

That cost is a bit higher than the price paid by customers in more southern counties in the Bootheel, who pay about $30 per month, Priggel said. The reason is that the same grants couldn't be secured for Scott County, which has a higher median income, he said.

Users would be required to sign an agreement and pay a one-time $150 connection fee, which can be paid over six months.

No taxes would be imposed to pay for the system.

County officials say the district would be of great benefit to rural residents by providing safe, clean drinking water. The Scott County Health Department estimates that up to half of the private water systems in the county could be contaminated due to septic leaks or chemical spills.

In addition, two large school systems, Kelly and Scott County Central, both manage their own water supplies. A water district would connect them to the public supply.

If approved, construction on the project could start as early as the fall of 2007.

msanders@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 182