Infrastructure improvements necessary

Mark Twain said, “Whiskey is for drinking; water is for fighting over.”

For the past 20 years the populace of the Sandpoint region has been able to skate along without having to make important decisions regarding infrastructure.

Clean, drinkable water is taken for granted in the Northwest. We have an abundance of water in our lakes, rivers and aquifers. But, drinking water that meets the stringent standards of the state and federal governments is in short supply.

Sandpoint Water’s two water treatment plants do not have the capacity to treat what the region consumes during late summer and fall. Sandpoint’s water master plan calls for increasing capacity by reconstructing its Lake Treatment Plant.

The reconstructed Lake Treatment Plant would utilize membranes as the primary filter.

The facts:

• A new treatment plant will cost $17 million to build

• A federal stimulus grant of $5 million will reduce the cost to $12 million

• Stimulus grant is only available for a short time and requires a positive result from a bond election

• Rates will increase about $6 per month for a residence to pay back the bond

• Rates must be pledged to repay the bond; the city can choose to pay the bond back with new hook-up fees if there are enough hook-ups.

•  Only city of Sandpoint residents are eligible to vote

• Voting for the bond election is at Sandpoint City Hall. More information on the election is available at http://www.cityofsandpoint.com/cityelection.asp

If the bond election passes?

• A bond will be issued for about $12 million

• Plans will be completed and construction on the facility will begin next year. It will take 18 months to two years to complete.

•  Rates will increase about $6 per month to pay back the bond

If the bond election fails?

• Water restrictions will likely be implemented for outdoor water use in the summer and early fall

• Sandpoint City Council will decide whether to implement conservation-based rates that will increase rates for summer and fall water use.

• Water hook-ups may be rationed, auctioned or stopped

If you have questions, please contact the Public Works Department at 208-263-3407 or kody@ci.sandpoint.id.us

Most importantly — vote.

Kody Van Dyk is the director of the Sandpoint Public Works Department.