By Sara Strong
In this time of budget crunches, Luverne is hopeful that $7 million in federal funding will keep the Lewis and Clark Rural Water System project afloat another year.
Luverne Utilities Coordinator Red Arndt serves on the Lewis and Clark Executive Committee and presented an update to the Luverne City Council Tuesday.
"We’re moving along, I think," Arndt said. "This is a real unique project. We’ve gotten things done that have never been done before: There are three states, six senators, three governors, 22 towns, and in Washington, D.C., the House and Senate."
For fiscal year 2003 city contributions to the system will be $36,702 if the federal amount of $7 million comes through. The state is slated to contribute $107,659, which members of the system have to make up if it doesn’t.
Even though the project is still above water, it’ll probably be behind schedule, reaching Luverne in about 2014, a few years later than first estimated.
Arndt said, "The water probably isn’t for any of us, but for our kids, because it’ll be here for 50 to 100 years."
Swimming upstream
Even though Lewis and Clark Rural Water System is without a director, it’s managing to continue through the Executive Committee.
Former Lewis and Clark director Pamela Bonrud resigned to become director of the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission.
Arndt reviewed the need for another water source with the council. He said, "We have shallow wells. Our deepest is 58 feet and our shallowest is 30-something, so we’re vulnerable to pollution and drought."
With IBP closing, the city of Luverne doesn’t have as great a demand as it once did, even considering water use by Gold’n Plump and Agri-Energy.
Luverne is signed up for 750,000 gallons per day from Lewis and Clark, which would give the city about three fourths of a day’s supply. The many overworked wells the city now uses could be shut off or used less.
Starting in 2004, Lewis and Clark will start getting easements on the 408 miles of land along the Missouri River it needs to run the system. Pipeline will then be laid and a treatment plant built, so Sioux Falls can get on line.
Sioux Falls will use about 40 percent of the system’s supply, and when it starts, Lewis and Clark can start generating user revenue.
Lewis and Clark is looking into creating policies on what to do with excess water once the system is completed. Members who’ve purchased a gallon allotment may be able to sell their unused excess through Lewis and Clark to other cities who need it.
Lewis and Clark was formed in the early ‘90s and isn’t allowing new memberships for the water supply.