By William Croyle
Enquirer contributor

It's five miles of pipe, 30 million gallons a day and means a much better morning shower for some Boone County residents.

After Tuesday, the water shortage the county suffered last summer shouldn't happen again - at least for 25 years.

A 5-mile-long pipe threaded under the Ohio River using an engineering process borrowed from the oil industry will begin pumping Cincinnati water to booming and parched Boone County.

That means lawns will be watered without fear of getting a ticket. Water pressure will be higher in suburban shower stalls. Restaurants near the end of the waterline won't have to shut down because the pressure is too low to wash dishes.

After eight years of studying, planning and constructing, Boone County and Florence will begin receiving water from Cincinnati Water Works as part of a system that includes three new storage tanks in Kentucky and has pipes three times the size of those in the previous system.

And it's pipe size, not rainfall, that matters most in Boone. The water itself comes from the Ohio River, which is not in danger of running out. So problem was a pipe volume too small for the county that had grown 49.3 percent in population from 1990 to 2000.

For Joe Zistler of Cincinnati Water Works, who managed the construction, it was a successful venture.

The project cost of $66 million includes $42 million paid for by the Boone-Florence Water Commission and $24 million by Cincinnati Water Works.

"What's really intriguing is that this was the joint effort of two states, and you can imagine the challenge of getting pipes across the river," he said.

"Four years ago we projected our cost to be $24 million and projected March 4th as the day we would be ready. I think we did pretty well."

A 29-year contract was signed in 1999 between Cincinnati Water Works and the Boone-Florence Water Commission, which was formed by the Boone County Water District and Florence Water and Sewer Commission specifically for this project.

"We had to do this to meet the growing demands of Boone County and Florence," said BCWD general manager Phil Trzop.

"During last year's drought, we just couldn't get water through the system quick enough to meet the demand. Once the new system is completely on line, we should be well-protected from that ever happening again."

A 1995 study commissioned by the Northern Kentucky Water District (the city and county's water supplier) concluded that a new $200 million treatment plant would be needed around 2000 for the Florence and Boone County areas to keep up with rapid growth, according to FWSC general manager Robert Hall.

Boone County is the second-fastest growing county in Kentucky, behind Spencer County outside Louisville.

"We hired another firm to verify what that study said," said Hall. "They said it was correct, but that they had found an alternative - purchasing water from Cincinnati. This is going to save us $160 million over the life of the contract."

Construction began in 2001. A 36-inch pipe was laid in Ohio, originating at Anderson Ferry Crossing. The pipe was run under the Ohio River and through Kentucky to a new pump station on Dry Creek Road in Boone County.

Three new storage facilities - on Dixie Highway in Florence, near I-275 in Hebron, and next to Ryle High School in Union - were also designed to go with the existing tanks in Florence at the mall and on Center Street.

The Dixie Highway tank is complete, while the other two will be done by July.

"Having these tanks will help build the pressure and keep the pressure up," said Trzop. "And when the demand gets high, the water in the tanks will be closer to its destination."

Cincinnati Water Works factored in its construction costs in the water rate it is charging the BFWC.

"Once our debt is paid off, we'll reduce the rates we charge them," Zistler of Cincinnati Water Works said. Trzop said that agreement is in the contract and will happen in 18-20 years.

The BFWC debt will be paid through a customer rate increase. Boone County residents will pay $5 more per month, while Florence City Council passed a rate increase Tuesday from $1.57 per 100 cubic feet (748 gallons) of water to $3.21.