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PUA project pushes ahead PDF Print E-mail
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Written by Brian McCauley   
Wednesday, 08 April 2009 08:00
Paola’s and Louisburg’s joint water project is pushing toward a summer completion date, and a deal finalized Monday between the Kansas Water Office and Marais des Cygnes Water Assurance District No. 2 ensures the cities will have access to a reserve supply of water during times of low flow in the Marais des Cygnes River.

State Sen. Pat Apple, Louisburg Republican, and several members of Marais des Cygnes Water Assurance District No. 2 were in Paola on Monday to witness the official signing of a purchase agreement. The event took place during the monthly meeting of the Marais des Cygnes Public Utility Authority, which is composed of officials from both Paola and Louisburg.

The PUA is the newest member of the assurance district, which also includes the cities of Osawatomie, La Cygne, Ottawa and Melvern, as well as Franklin County Rural Water District No. 6 and Kansas City Power & Light. All of the members have water rights to withdraw water from the Marais des Cygnes River.

The assurance district also owns water storage in the Melvern and Pomona reservoirs for times of low flow. That number increased Monday, when Kansas Water Office Director Tracy Streeter and assurance district president Donald Spreitzer signed the paperwork of a purchase agreement.

The assurance district acquired 5,400 feet of storage for just over $1.2 million. The district now owns a total of 20,800 acre feet of assurance storage divided equally between Melvern and Pomona reservoirs. Of that total, 9,800 acre feet of storage is for use by municipal members and 11,000 acre feet of storage is for use by Kansas City Power & Light, according to a news release.

“Congratulations on a job well done,” Apple said during Monday’s meeting. “It’s nice when local units of government cooperate. It’s quite an important day.”

The PUA is building a water plant along the Marais des Cygnes River southeast of Paola along with new pipeline and two new water towers to service Paola and Louisburg and any potential future members of the PUA.

Larry Williams of Bartlett and West, the firm that designed the project, said Monday the project may be substantially complete by mid-June.

“Everybody’s goal is June 1, but Mother Nature has just been as uncooperative as can be,” he said. “My guess is closer to June 15.”
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