Propsition 1 would fund city water projects

By Michael Gibney

The only city issue on Tuesday's ballot is Proposition 1, which seeks voter approval of a $38.9 million bond issue for water projects.

City officials have provided a thorough list of the projects that would be financed by the bonds, which would be repaid by revenue from utility bills.

Nearly half of the bond proceeds, or about $20 million, would be used to improve and increase the distribution flow of the city's water system. That means adding larger mains to the system to move water faster and to increase its flow. It also means closing loops in the system and eliminating dead ends. Representatives of Columbia Water and Light have said these improvements might also help address the relatively high levels of carcinogenic trihalomethanes in the water supply. Trihalomethanes are thought be less prevalent in continuously moving water.

The city also would spend about $2.7 million to replace water mains in areas where breakages frequently occur. Parts of the distribution system in the city are more than 50 years old.

The bond issue also would fund several projects at an estimated cost of $1.6 million to improve fire flows, mostly around the East Campus area. Another $1.3 million is designated for projects to replace mains near schools and to renovate fire hydrants.

About $2.7 million worth of water production projects, including the creation of three new alluvial wells in the Missouri River bottoms and the purchase of four backup generators for use during power outages, are among the projects to be financed by the bonds. City officials have estimated that by 2028, the city's peak daily water demand will reach about 60.25 million gallons per day. Current capacity is 30 million gallons per day.

Finally, the bond issue includes $9.3 million for maintenance projects, $600,000 for unexpected costs and $500,500 in bond financing costs.

If approved, Proposition 1 would cause monthly water bills to rise incrementally. There would be two annual increases of 1.5 percent followed by four increases of 5 percent each for a total of 23 percent after six years. By the end of the increases, the average residential customer would pay an additional $5.30 per month for water.

Click here for previous coverage of this issue.