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Orleans Getting Closer To Solving Water Dilemma

February 14, 2023 Steve Schwaller

(Orleans)– The city of Orleans appears to be a step closer to addressing an issue over water service. The city council was informed Monday evening the city of Spirit Lake has agreed to continue to provide water to Orleans on an interim basis once the current contract expires this coming June 30th. The council voted in January to eventually turn the entire water supply and distribution system over to Iowa Lakes Regional Water, but it’s going to take some time for that entity to build the needed infrastructure to bring its water to Orleans. Mayor Bill Maas explains how the interim agreement with Spirit Lake would work…

“They would temporarily just be like status quo, almost, and would do our meter billing and things like that. The customers themselves probably would not notice any difference at all because of the fact that there will not be any big rate changes or anything until we do get the system hooked up.”

Maas goes on to explain the role Iowa Lakes Regional Water will play during that time…

“If we have need of some locates for houses to hook up, they are going to provide that service. If we have breaks in a water line or anything they’re going to take care of it just as if it was theirs. I’m sure that probably during the interim until we get a complete sign over that we may be responsible for some of the expenses, but they will provide the labor source and things such as that, so.”

Maas says in order to meet DNR deadlines, the interim agreement would likely go into affect in late March. He says the longer term agreement with Iowa Lakes Regional Water would be in effect for 40 years.

The Orleans City Council is expected to take formal action on the agreements in early March.

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