Bloomfield to vote on $10M bond issue

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- Bloomfield residents will go the polls today to vote on a $10 million revenue bond issue for improving the city's water and wastewater systems.

The city plans to replace all its water lines -- nearly 80,000 linear feet -- and to install new hydrants, gate valves and meters at an estimated cost of $5 million. Work on the wastewater lagoon includes upgrades to the treatment plant and is expected to cost $3.5 million.

Mayor Donna Medlin has said the project is badly needed, since many of the city's water lines and mains date back to the 1940s and numerous lines have broken since the beginning of the year. Medlin said the problem will only get worse if action is not taken.

City officials have indicated they will seek private financing if the bond issue fails.

Medlin said the city also is looking at obtaining rural development grants to help pay for the project, as private financing would lead to higher water and sewer rates because the interest on the borrowed money would be higher.

Meanwhile, Bloomfield resident Mike Jarrell has been vocal about the city's decision, saying the information provided to the public has been insufficient. He said the city should fix specific water delivery problems rather than replacing all the water mains.

Medlin said city officials explored all options before deciding on replacing the water lines. She said the water mains are of varying sizes, from 4 inches to 8 inches, which makes repairs difficult. She noted that some water mains were installed years ago to accommodate only a few houses, and water pressure has been affected by more homes, using the original lines. She also said partly clogged water mains and dead-end lines also contribute to water pressure problems.

Jarrell has maintained that the topography of the city is the cause of poor water pressure in some areas. He also questions the origins of rusty tap water.

Smith and Company, Engineers, reviewed three alternatives for the city to consider for the water system. Alternative 1 was to do nothing. Alternative 2 was to loop the system with 6-inch PVC water lines and make critical repairs. Alternative 3 was to replace all system water main lines.

Jarrell said the engineers' findings are based on the amount of money they could make on the project. Replacing all the lines would cost the most.