MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL SOLUTION ON WATER IS SOUGHT

Cape Girardeau is looking at expanding water to the new Notre Dame Regional High School, which is under construction. The new school is located about two miles outside the city limits, but committee members have requested that the site be annexed.

While the annexation makes sense, the timetable for water may be unrealistic for the city. The school needs water by November and has asked the city to expedite the matter.

A sewer line has already been bid for Twin Lakes Subdivision, This line would run by the Notre Dame property.

The city's new annexation policy requires that land be annexed before services are provided. Annexed land must also be contiguous to the city, which means a corridor down Route K would have to be annexed to connect Cape Girardeau to the Notre Dame property. A petition would have to be filed with the state.

The city said it can work on the annexation and water applications concurrently. But all this takes time.

Extending a water line to the site by November would be highly unlikely. But the city and Notre Dame are exploring at other options. It can be hoped that this cooperative effort will produce a compromise that benefits everyone.