City leaders advocate for rural water proposal

HARTINGTON — The Hartington City Council is hopeful a new interpretation of how federal funds can be used will help it win support for a rural water proposal.

The Cedar-Knox Rural Water Project has proposed piping in water under the Missouri River from the Yankton, S.D., water treatment plant, a plan that would cost an estimated $28 million.

The city is hoping CKRWP opts for a cheaper option, however. The city's proposal would benefit both the rural water project's customers and the city of Hartington itself, said Hartington Mayor Mark Becker.

The city has proposed to CKRWP that groundwater from Hartington’s four wells be used to provide clean, safe drinking water to rural customers the rural water project now services in northwest Cedar County and northeast Knox County. CKRWP also provides water to the communities of Fordyce and Crofton, among others.

Becker said he received clarification from the state about the use of American Rescue Plan Act funds.

“The (Lewis & Clark) NRD was under the assumption the ARPA funds they have, to the tune of around $7 million, could only be used on the Yankton proposal and not on anything else, and they had to use it up by the end of the year,” he said.

Becker contacted Gov. Jim Pillen’s office, and was then put in contact with Steve McNulty, Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy environmental supervisor for the State Revolving Fund Section, who said the funds could be used for infrastructure if CKRWP decides to change its water source.

“What that does is probably puts us back in the game,” Becker said.

According to Becker, the natural resources district could use the funds for infrastructure costs such as tanks and current needed repairs.

The city’s plan is similar to one used by the Wau-Col Regional Water System to provide Belden and Magnet with clean, safe drinking water.

Wau-Col was established in 2012 to provide drinking water to residents in those communities and to other rural customers. Wells in Wausa and Coleridge are used to provide the water, which is then pumped to rural customers and to Belden and Magnet.

“This (Wau-Col) is very similar to what we are trying to achieve here in Hartington,” Becker said.

Becker has looked at the water rates for Wau-Col customers. The water rates, using the system of pumping water from area communities, “are much less than what they (Cedar-Knox) are trying to shoot for by burrowing a line under the (Missouri) River, taking Nebraska water, treating it and sending it back to Nebraska.”

Becker will meet with a CKRWP committee this Thursday to “try to convince them that we are a vital option,” he said.