Saturday, October 30, 1999
Water deal for Mason
Cincinnati supply to ease strain
BY KEVIN ALDRIDGE
The Cincinnati Enquirer
MASON — A deal with Cincinnati Water Works to provide an extra 5 million gallons of water per day to Mason should alleviate the current strain on the Shaker Creek Buried Valley Aquifer, city officials say.
Public Utilities Superintendent Ernie Stickler made a presentation to City Council on Monday outlining the purpose, costs and impact associated with Mason's water supply expansion project. The project, estimated to cost $5 million, would increase the city's water system capacity to 12 million gallons per day.
Mason currently can provide up to 7 million gallons per day during peak demand. The city uses on average about 4 million gallons per day.
Mason had come under scrutiny from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and some residents living just outside the city for draining the Shaker Creek Aquifer, one of the richest ground water sources in the state. A report by the ODNR last month pointed to Ohio's second-fastest growing city as the primary reason for the dwindling aquifer.
ODNR's report showed that a 264 percent jump in water use by Mason in the past decade has caused the water table to drop by more than 11.5 feet; it has fallen 27 feet since 1970.
“Water is one of our most precious resources,” Mr. Stickler said. “Aquifers by nature have limitations and the city, desiring to be good stewards of the aquifer, proactively has searched for an alternative water supply to meet our growing needs into the future.”
Three options were evaluated as an alternative water supply, Mr. Stickler said. The first was drawing water from Caesar Creek Lake.
But city officials rejected that alternative because the cost of water allotment to Mason could have exceeded $30 million. Plus, Mason would only have received 900,000 gallons per day, which would have only met the city's needs through 2001.
A second option to draw water from the Great Miami Aquifer also was rejected by council. The costs for that project were estimated at
$40 million and it would only yield 1 million gallons per day.
“From a cost comparison standpoint, the return that we would receive on our investment was certainly better with the city of Cincinnati,” said Mason City Manager Scot Lahrmer. “That is basically what drove our decision to obtain our additional water from them.”
City officials say the expansion project should be completed by January, at which time residents can begin to utilize the new supplemental water supply. The new supply will service the southern most portion of the city, which is the area north of Tylersville Road and west of U.S. 42.
The north service area will continue to receive water from the aquifer. Administration, billing and maintenance are expected to remain the same, according to city officials.
“Utility bills will be sent just as they are now and utility bills are currently being updated to indicate customers' service areas,” Mr. Stickler said.
City leaders say the supplemental water supply should also allevi ate the city's “red” water problem, which is a result of the overtaxing of the current water facility. Mr. Stickler said it should also curb some customer complaints about the city's “hard water.”
“Obtaining this additional supply of water will not only relieve the strain on the aquifer which we currently draw from, but it also allows the city to stay ahead of the growth curve,” Mr. Lahrmer said. The additional water supply is expected to satisfy the city's need until 2010, he said.
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Water deal for Mason
