By Sara QuamThe city of Luverne will continue to be a part of the Lewis and Clark Water System after a vote Tuesday, Nov. 22. Luverne City Council members never really questioned that they’d continue to support the project, but a new agreement took time to review.Red Arndt is the Lewis and Clark representative for Luverne and worked on the new agreement. He told the Luverne City Council, "There’s still a need for the water and it’s still a part of our infrastructure that’s important."He said the project is still 80 percent federally funded, even though Lewis and Clark got less funding than hoped.Arndt said the project requested $35 million, expected to get $20 million, but got $17.5 million from the federal government.Arndt said the federal government hasn’t pulled out on a water project once it started construction."It’s still a moving project," Arndt said. "For 2007 we might ask for as much as $50 million."New agreementThe new agreement is a lot longer and more detailed than the 1993 agreement.Rock County Commissioners already approved the agreement for Rock County Rural Water to remain a part of the project — which will bring treated Missouri River water to Minnesota, South Dakota and Iowa.Three original members of the system have opted not to sign the agreement, leaving 20 members.Some points in the agreement include:
The cost for each member is clearly defined. It will cost $1.15 per thousand gallons for Lewis and Clark water. Luverne is still slated to receive 750,000 gallons a day when it starts receiving water in about 12 years. Cost to the city in today’s dollars is $1.5 million.
The members that left the project left 1.9 million gallons of water, but that is accounted for by other members now.
Sioux Falls pays for its own water, which was increased by 17 million gallons.
There’s potential to expand the system but all 20 members have to approve it. The executive board has little power.
If the project should fold altogether, members will get their money back over time.
If members want to pre-pay their portion of the cost, they may do that to avoid inflation.
Lewis and Clark has to maintain a reserve of $40 million for maintenance and repair expenses.
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