Orleans, IA (KICD) — The city council of Orleans has voted to negotiate a 28-E agreement with Iowa Lakes Regional Water to take over the city’s water distribution system.
As we reported previously, the city has purchased water from the City of Spirit Lake for decades, but the DNR now says someone needs to be in charge of monitoring the water before it reaches the end user. Mayor Bill Maas says that pretty much meant constructing an expensive water plant or turning over the system to ILRW.
The entities are not ready to ink the deal yet, but ILRW CEO Brad Veit did want some formal declaration of intent from the city.
The current contract with Spirit Lake runs out June 30th. Veit says rural water can NOT be ready that soon.
Mayor Maas says the next step is to request the city of Spirit Lake extend the current agreement until the changeover is ready.
