On Thursday, the city of Cape Girardeau will host a public information meeting regarding the city's water system. Citizens are encouraged to stop by City Hall between 5-8 p.m.

There will be two water-related questions on the Nov. 5 general election ballot. Cape Girardeau voters will decide whether to fund system improvements by issuing revenue bonds and whether to pay off the bonds with a new quarter-cent sales tax.

According to City Manager Michael Miller, the purpose of Thursday's meeting is to allow citizens the opportunity to receive answers to questions about the system.

"We have conducted informational presentations for many organizations in the city," he said. "However, we know that there are citizens who haven't had the opportunity to hear the presentations. We especially encourage those individuals to join us."

Display boards, slides, fact sheets and question-and-answer sheets will be available.

Studies show that water demand has increased 20 percent since the city began operating the system in 1992. The city's two water treatment plants can produce a maximum of 7.3 million gallons per day, and 94 percent of that capacity was used one day last year. That demand level exceeded safe operational margins and, depending on the weather, could cause a water shortage.

The proposed five-year improvement projects will add 2.75 million gallons of treated water to the current maximum production level. An additional 2.75 million gallons would be added in a 20-year expansion.

Proposed new wells would produce water that is less expensive to treat than river water and facilitate compliance with federal regulations. These regulations require much higher water quality than the city's current plants were designed to produce.

The public is invited to tour one of the plants, located on Cape Rock Drive, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday. A second public information meeting is scheduled from 5-8 p.m. Oct. 29 at City Hall.