Communities frustrated by new water regs

Thursday, March 27, 2003

City officials from around Southwest Nebraska voiced their frustration over the arsenic and uranium rules mandated by the federal Safe Water Drinking Act.

In a meeting at the Country Kitchen restaurant in McCook on Wednesday, 12 community leaders from around the area talked about the problems their towns were facing with the upcoming change in the allowable levels of the two compounds. David Cookson of the Nebraska Attorney General's office, Jack Daniel of the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, Dan Smith of Middle Republican Natural Resources District and Scott Hoffman of U.S. Sen. Ben Nelson's office were at the meeting to address some of those concerns.

Marvin Colson of Bartley said his town may build a new well field which would cost approximately $29 per household per month.

The village also plans to talk with officials from Cambridge to investigate "co-oping" a field with that community. But, he said, it's going to have to be to the north, outside of the Republican River Valley to avoid arsenic contamination.

Colson pointed out that arsenic is a naturally occurring substance in water and has been in the water for years. In fact, he said, "My grandmother, God rest her soul, lived along the Republican River for over 100 years and I'm sure arsenic is what ended up killing her."

Colson said Bartley's main concern at this time is water pressure and not contaminants. He pointed out that an new school facility will require even more water and in order to get the pressure up from the current well field, the village would have to raise the water tower 85-feet. "If you can imagine Bartley raising the water tower 85 feet -- Sputnik don't go that high."

Colson pointed out the small community is basically a retirement community. "How are we going to tell someone, bringing in $450 a month, their $10 water bill's going to go up to $50?"

Representatives of nine of the 12 municipalities represented said their towns are looking for a new water source. They include Palisade, Benkelman, Imperial, Bartley, Stratton, Arapahoe, Cambridge, and McCook.

Mark Graf of Arapahoe said the Arapahoe City Council has approved the search for a new well field. To date, the community has been searching for five months for a new source. He said the town is also considering a regional water system with other communities.

Mayor Mark Harpst of Cambridge said his community is looking at both the new well field and the treatment options. He voiced his frustration over the rising cost of utilities and the unfunded mandates being brought down by Washington. "The rising cost of utilities to the user will cause a depopulation of the area, we have a quality of life her people enjoy. We'd like to keep it that way."

Jack Daniel of Nebraska Health and Human Services suggested to all community leaders they look at a new water source rather than treatment. "You need to try to find a good source of groundwater rather than looking at treatment. The federal government is pretty decent about giving you money for a one-time setup. They don't give you a penny for day-to-day operations."

McCook resident Richard Bair, told Daniel the state of Nebraska needs to back up and get away from treatment and new well fields.

"We need to say, 'You can tell us what you want to, but we're not going to do it.' This stuff sounds good, but it's a bunch of bureaucrats trying to justify their existence."

Bair asked Daniel what the results of non-compliance would be.

Daniel explained if Nebraska doesn't choose to enforce the rules, the federal government can fine a community up to $25,000 a day, the community would lose any federal funding it receives, and if necessary, federal agents could be sent to enforce the order.

Respond to this story

Posting a comment requires free registration: