Our Opinion: Cape’s water system ballot measure begins to address growing problems

It started as a twinge in our shoulder when we tossed the ball or swung the golf club. Not a pain, exactly, but a catch, a little tightness. Over the weeks, we noticed it more often. A little pain when we reached a certain way. But, we dismissed it as a sign of getting a bit older. No big deal. Something to live with. Then, one day, we tried to pick up a bag of groceries, and a lightning bolt jumped throughout the entirety of our shoulder and upper arm. Ouch!

We couldn’t put it off any longer. We had to get this thing fixed. Otherwise, we were facing big problems now and into the future.

Like our fictional damaged rotator cuff, Cape Girardeau’s water system has degraded to the point that voters must make a choice.

On the Nov. 5 ballot is a measure that would raise water rates to improve the system. Officials estimate $56 million in needed improvements over the next eight years and an additional $64 million beyond that.

The rate increases would amount to $8.19 to $13.89 monthly for most residential customers. Commercial users would pay more. In both cases, rates in Cape Girardeau would still be among the lowest in the state.

The increases would raise money in two ways. Aside from the immediate revenue boost, the higher rates would open state and federal grant opportunities the city is currently not eligible to pursue. Until the water system users have more financial skin in the game, those grant funds are not available.

We’ve chronicled the two main symptoms of the city’s water system illness.

Water main breaks. These come regularly, especially in the dry summer/early fall months when dry conditions allow the underground pipes to move around a bit more than usual. We’ve seen a handful of pipes burst in the past few days, and we remember last Thanksgiving, when a major break shut down water service to much of the city over the holiday weekend.

Water quality issues. The city’s source water is challenging to treat, and the water plant’s age restricts its daily treatment volume. Cloudy water is not the norm, but it’s not unheard of in certain parts of town.

These problems haven’t yet risen to the levels seen in other locales across the nation. Thankfully.

Residents in Flint, Michigan, and Jackson, Mississippi, have suffered through horrific water system breakdowns. Disease-causing water. No water at all. Those situations are more akin to a third-world condition than what we think of regarding water systems in this country. We seldom give it a thought — turn on the tap and clean, abundant water flows.

But we’ve seen that’s not always the case in Cape Girardeau, and it will get worse if we don’t invest in upgrades.

Some of the city’s water pipes date to the 19th century. Others were installed during World War I and World War II, when rationing caused the pipes to be constructed too thin.

Is this particular ballot measure perfect? No. Few are. Its wonky language doesn’t clearly spell out the problem and the proposed solution.

But this truly is a simple issue.

Satisifed with the water system as it is? Don’t want to pay more now to head off dire problems later? Vote no.

See the writing on the wall and believe every day of putting off these improvements is a borrowed day that will ultimately lead to even more costly emergency fixes? Contend that a reliable water system is vital to economic development? Vote yes.

We’ve been surprised at the low profile of this important measure. The city’s water system will have as much to do with its future as any infrastructure, including highways, broadband internet, the river and rail service. Yet, the campaign to support the measure has been muted.

Continued water main breaks, though, have been speaking loud and clear.

We strongly encourage a yes vote on Tuesday, Nov. 5. Fixing this problem should not be delayed.