Scott County to discuss possible expansion of water district

BENTON, Mo. -- Scott County commissioners hope a meeting scheduled for next week will result in a solution to a water supply problem.

During their regular meeting Tuesday, commissioners approved a letter inviting Ellen Brandom, 160th District's state representative and officials from the county's rural Public Water Supply District No. 4, Public Water Supply District No. 1, the city of Morehouse, U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development and Missouri Department of Natural Resource.

The meeting is scheduled for 10 a.m. Wednesday in the county commission office at the county courthouse.

"We're trying to get everyone who might be a key player or have an avenue to help us," said Presiding Commissioner Jamie Burger.

Commissioners are trying to find a way to supply clean, safe water to area in the county with about 20 homes located west of Sikeston and south of Water Supply District 1.

Contractors building the water distribution system for Water District No. 4 are showing significant progress along U.S. 61, according to Burger.

With this latest rural water district taking in nearly all the county residents that still need a public water supply, commissioners don't want any residents to be left out.

Commissioners have tried before to find a way of supplying those homes with no success.

"We've hit so many dead ends," Burger said. "We want to brainstorm this thing as a group."

Commissioner Dennis Ziegenhorn said the project became more urgent, however, after commissioners received reports on recent water testing in that area that they say are cause for concern.

Commissioners are now looking at "several different ways of approaching this," Ziegenhorn said.

Tying the project into the District 4 construction seems like a logical choice. The obstacle for that option is that for District No. 4 to supply water to those homes, it would have to cross Water District No. 1. Ziegenhorn said that according to state statutes, District 1 would have to give permission before District 4 could be allowed to cross their district to supply those homes.

Another option, starting a new water supply project specifically for the homes in that area, doesn't seem to be feasible as small projects seem to be harder to get grant funding for than large projects, Ziegenhorn said. And, he added, "it is too much money to hook up that few."

Burger said when federal officials talk about putting stimulus money to good work, "this is the type of project everyone talks about."

Commissioners are wondering if there is some way that area could connect to the public water supply for the city of Morehouse which is in New The Madrid County.