(Milford)– A significant increase in water rates has three of Milford’s largest commercial customers looking into the possibility of pursuing their own water supply.
They want to drill a private well and disconnect from Milford Municipal Utility’s water supply in what they say would be a cost-cutting move.
Representatives of the three businesses were present Monday evening for a joint meeting of the board of trustees of Milford Municipal Utilities and the city council. It consisted in part of a review of electric and water rate studies, along with explanations into the recent rate hikes.
For the water operations, the study recommended an overall increase of 66 percent over the next three fiscal years. The increase is needed to meet new federal and state mandates, which will result in the expansion of the water treatment plant and the addition of some new equipment. It was pointed out that there may be a need for even more increases in the near future as additional storage is needed during times of peak demand. MMU also sells water to the cities of Wahpeton, West Okoboji, and the Osceola and Clay Regional Water Systems. Several who spoke Monday evening felt the fees charged to those entities should also be increased. But David Stein, Junior, an attorney representing MMU and the city, said that would be difficult or impossible to do since the contract doesn’t expire until 2020.
David Coleman, Water Superintendent for MMU, reported they’re actively exploring other methods of storing water for peak times. Among those, he said, is underground storage. A test well will be drilled in the next several weeks near the water tower to sample the aquifer and see if underground storage could be a possibility.
As far as the businesses that want to drill their own well, David Stein, Senior, another attorney representing MMU and the city, reported that MMU currently has a regulation requiring anyone to hook onto its system wherever its lines are available.
Several council members indicated last evening they’d be in favor of a new ordinance that would allow a private well, as long as precautions are taken to avoid cross contamination. No action was taken Monday evening.
