(Okoboji)– The city of Okoboji is among the lowest in the state right now when it comes to water rates. That may be about to change, though.
Meeting in special session Monday, the city council reviewed recommendations from an engineer for possible improvements to the water distribution system and reviewed preliminary findings of a study into a joint water treatment facility that would serve Okoboji, Arnolds Park, Spirit Lake and Orleans.
When it comes to Okoboji’s distribution system, Mark Hardy of the Howard R. Green Engineering firm told the council there are deficient fire flows on the city’s northwest side…north of County Home Road. He said those could be rectified by upsizing and looping some mains. Total cost is estimated at 1.69 million dollars with ductile iron mains; 1.56 million with a different material. Hardy said payment options could be in several forms, including general obligation bonds, borrowing through a federal program, or water revenue bonds…which would require a significant increase in rates.
The other part of the presentation dealt with the joint treatment plant study. As we reported last week, the study came back with three options: upgrade the Central Water Plant which would supply water to all four towns, pumping some 10.3 million gallons a day out of West Lake Okoboji. The second is to make some slight improvements to the Spirit Lake plant and to the Central plant, with the Spirit Lake plant being used during peak times; and the third is for Spirit Lake and Central Water to continue on their own. Cost of the various options are in the tens of millions of dollars. The costs would be split based upon population and projected growth. Under the first option, Okoboji’s share would be 4.5 million dollars; under option two it’s 5.5 million; and with option three it’s 7.9 million. Under the third option, to keep the plants separate, Hardy said Okoboji would probably have to put up a larger water tower to meet future needs. He says that wouldn’t be needed under the centralized concept as Spirit Lake has excess capacity that could be used.
No action was taken by the council.
