Water district sign-ups continue; engineering set to start

The head of Scott County's Public Water Supply District No. 4 board said the district is now sure to become a reality, even though efforts to sign up users haven't yet reached the county's northern sections.

Phil Lyon, president of the district's board of directors, said that the district now has enough people signed up to begin the design and engineering aspects of the project. The board will also now seek funding through grants and low-interest loans from USDA Rural Development.

"I can at least now speak with confidence that it's going to happen," Lyon said.

Progress has been slow going on the district, which was formed by a public vote in April 2005. A $25 million revenue bond to be retired through user fees was passed by voters in November to pay for the project.

The goal of the water district was to create a clean, reliable public water supply for Scott County residents not currently served by a public water supply system. It is estimated about 3,700 households in the county could use such a system.

After the go-ahead was given to pursue funding, the board of directors began signing up residents in the county's southern half for the water district. Initially, the board of directors wanted to start moving from the county's southern half to the northern half in June, but efforts have gone a bit slower than anticipated.

District personnel are putting the finishing touches on signing up users in the county's southern half. So far about 825 households are signed up, said Lyon. The goal is 1,000 from the southern half, and eventually about 80 percent of eligible households throughout the county.

Norman Gribler, a resident of Rockview who helped campaign for the formation of the district, said people in his area are anxious to get started.

However, Gribler said residents of the county's northern half who he has talked to feel they're not getting enough information on the progress the district is making toward becoming a serviceable entity.

Lyon said the board of directors hopes to start hitting the county's northern half aggressively beginning in September.

Scott County Presiding Commissioner Martin Priggel and his colleagues pushed to get the water district formed. Priggel said when the issue was being considered the commission warned people it would take 2 to 5 years to become operational. He isn't surprised by the length of time it is taking to start the design and construction.

"We knew it wasn't something that was going to happen overnight," Priggel said.

The water district now has a Web site, www.pwsd4.com, for residents to get more information on the progress.

msanders@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 182