Pipeline was right call

EDITOR:

Customers and residents of the Indian Hills General Improvement District have been showing their concerns by calling and asking questions about water consumption and the rates (charge for water usage). Our big neighbor to the north, Carson City, is putting in millions upon millions of dollars for water improvements. Water is one of the natural resources that most of us take for granted.

In addition to being protected, water must be of the safest and best quality possible.

Water operation costs are on the rise and we all have to share in the rising costs. Water rates at Indian Hills are of course the highest they have ever been, but for a period of six years the rates have been overlooked.

Customers have been reading their papers and have been watching the increases for water through this part of the state. We are doing our very best in trying to keep costs down, Indian Hills is still lower that, most other utilities.

Last summer Indian Hills had to make a decision on what was the best for our residents. To pay for a filtration system would have cost $4 million with an annual operating cost of $300,000.

That would have put the water rates over $55 a month for the filtration system and another $13.50 a month for the annual maintenance of the filtration system, putting the monthly rate at $68.50 plus per month. And would the filtration system work the way it was designed to?

The decision to go with the pipeline cut down on the monthly maintenance cost. We already know what is in the water coming from Minden's wells.

They have been tested and reports have been sent to the state.

We are getting grants to help with the project. To qualify for grants Indian Hills had to meet some requirements and one of them was having the means to pay back any loan that the district might need to obtain.

To meet these requirements the district had to raise its rates.

At this time Indian Hills basis water rate is $24.16.

We feel that the right decision was made for the residents' water supply. In the future there may be rate studies every year and if so, the residents will be notified of such meetings by Indian Hills quarterly newsletter, our website and the Nevada Appeal and Record-Courier newspapers.

Jim Taylor

manager

Indian Hills General Improvement District