Scott County water district may cost up to $18 million

Standard Democrat

BENTON, Mo. -- A proposed water district to serve a potential of 3,700 new households in rural Scott County could cost between $15 million and $18 million.

John Chittenden of Waters Engineering in Sikeston, Mo., gave a report on the district at Tuesday's Scott County Commission meeting. The project would make water available along "every road that has a house on it," he said. "The budget is based on serving every customer."

Before projecting a monthly cost per customer, however, Chittenden said he needs two more numbers.

One is how much assistance the district can get from a U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development grant. The second is the number of customers who will initially sign up for service.

"The more people that sign up, the lower the rates will be," Chittenden said.