Grant for industrial park water a good idea

It's odd to think of a place in the United States where people don't have suitable drinking water straight from the tap.

But those places do exist, and one of them is in our own back yard.

That is about to change, thanks to the city of Cape Girardeau's decision to run a 12-inch water main under the Mississippi River Diversion Channel to put the Nash Road Industrial Park on city water.

Certainly, if the area is to take the next step in industrial development, clean water in the park is a must.

Consider the current situation: The park gets its water from a well, and all it can tap is water rich in iron. It's so rich that it can't be consumed or used for showers. It stains toilets, sinks and any other fixtures it touches with any regularity. It eats away at pipes.

Those who choose to do business in the industrial park must install expensive filtration systems to keep equipment from being damaged and bring in bottled water in large coolers for employees to drink. A Spartech manager expects that company will save $75,000 annually once the new water main connects to that business, making it a far more attractive option to expand at the current location.

Mitch Robinson, the region's industrial recruiter, also is working on attracting an ethanol plant, with its 35 new jobs, to a parcel of land adjacent to Spartech. The fresh water no doubt will sweeten the offer for that company.

Perhaps the best part is the way the project is being funded. The fact that Renaissance Aircraft LLC, a small airplane manufacturer, recently located at the Cape Girardeau Regional Airport made the city eligible for a $479,438 block grant from the Missouri Department of Economic Development. The airport is within eyesight of the industrial park and currently uses two wells for drinking water. It, too, will enjoy city water soon.

The city couldn't afford the project back in the 1960s, when it opened the industrial park. Now, thanks to the grant, the city needs only to come up with less than $200,000 of the money, a reasonable investment.

The project is slated for completion by mid-September. No doubt the day the water starts running will be one of celebration for employees at the industrial park and the community leaders who would like to see more jobs out there.