Residents of Woodland Drive filled council chambers Tuesday night in the hopes that their presence would encourage council to move quickly to meet their needs.
Some of the residents on the City’s western edge are currently without water; others suffer from spotty water service and have sewer problems.
The area is within the city limits but is serviced by individual wells fed by ground water runoff and septic fields.
In recent years those systems have been failing, in part, to a lack of precipitation.
Now residents are asking the City to provide them with water and sewer services in line with those enjoyed by other city residents.
“The situation is untenable,” resident Martin Sills told council, adding that without water the houses on Woodland are difficult to live in and “impossible to sell.”
Council was responsive to the concerns, noting staff had undertaken a feasibility study in 2009 and a preliminary design study and report that would be completed this week. Council further indicated it would apply for a grant — that would share costs between different levels of government — to fund the necessary infrastructure but noted that it could move ahead without that funding certainty.
Coun. Sue Zacharias told residents, “I think you have our full support in finding a resolution to this issue. I don’t know what it’s going to be so I’m looking forward to seeing the report. I think we’ll do everything we can do to speed along and facilitate the process.”
Coun. Surinderpal Rathor, who sits on the City’s public works committee, noted, “For the committee there is nothing more important than Woodland Drive water and sewer. Nothing more important than your issue.”
