| By Bob Weaver
A long sought after water project for Calhoun is at risk.
The $4 million water extension from Arnoldsburg to the Upper West Fork Park at Chloe along State Route 16 and from Millstone and Sand Ridge to Sassafras Ridge and Russett is short about 109 customers.
"If we don't have the 183 signers by January 31st, we could lose the project," said Wilma Mace, secretary for the Mt. Zion Public Service District.
Members of the PSD are starting door-to-door this week looking to convince property holders of the importance of public water. "We'll be asking them to pay the $100 tap fee and agree to three years of water service," indicating the minimum water bill will be about $26.
If the property owners do not want water service, they are being asked to sign an "offered but declined" statement.
Mace indicated there are problems with not enough signatures along the 21-mile line.
The first efforts toward expanding Mt. Zion PSD services was 12 years ago when a feasibility study was done for Sand Ridge-Sassafras Ridge.
The current project was launched by the Mt. Zion PSD and the Calhoun Commission nine years ago.
Yesterday, the Calhoun commissioners discussed the importance of public water coming to the area and having an adequate water supply.
The water table has fallen and drought conditions have created situations where water is not present.
Potable drinking water is scarce. The project will raise property values, help reduce fire insurance premiums because of the closeness of fire hydrants and improve the chances for development in the 21st century.
"These projects take a long time to get where this one is today," said commissioner Rick Sampson.
"If residents fail to meet the minimum numbers, a second chance will be years coming," Mace said. This project has qualified for one of the biggest loans from FHA ($1.8 million). "They will want to shift it to another project right away," she said.
"It is imperative that residents sign-up prior to the approaching deadline, recognizing that cutbacks in federal funding, future efforts to revive this project are expected to be unsuccessful," said a Mt. Zion PSD press release.
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