Work on the third phase centers on building a half-million gallon underground clearwell. An updated estimate discussed during the Aug. 19 council meeting puts the project cost at more than $5 million. City officials previously debated whether the final phase should proceed, with Councilmember Kent Wade saying he is against completing it if La Cygne taxpayers would pay.
At the Aug. 19 meeting, City Clerk Jodi Wade outlined options for obtaining grant funding to make the project feasible. She said she hoped a combination of grants could bring the price down to $3 million or less, with the remainder potentially covered by a long-term loan amortized over up to 40 years. She also said she would advise against proceeding unless those grants could be secured.
The stakes extend beyond city limits: La Cygne’s water system is connected to regional wholesale and rural water suppliers, and the article notes that drought and heat are continuing to keep water demands high. City public works director Dan Nasalroad said construction of the new clearwell is inevitable.