Harrisburg approves long-term water contract with Liberty-Ledford

HARRISBURG -- Harrisburg City Council voted 3-2 Thursday night to approve a new 20-year contract to provide water to Liberty-Ledford Water District, in a move some city leaders hope will prevent losing water customers.

According to the contract, Liberty-Ledford will pay 59 cents per 1,000 gallons of water Harrisburg delivers, which is about 20 percent less than it was previously paying. However, Mayor John McPeek said it was worthwhile to take a small cut in pay in order to keep Liberty-Ledford as a water customer.

"Saline Valley (Conservancy District) was hoping to get them as a client, but now that won't happen," McPeek said. "And, Liberty-Ledford was able to take advantage of the competition to negotiate a better rate for themselves."

Councilwoman Beth Montfort said she received a copy of the agreement Wednesday and wanted to explore the agreement more fully before she could support it. She said she was concerned that the contract could lock the city into an excessively long contract because it mentioned two 20-year periods.

Councilman Richard Harper said the language essentially was a 20-year deal with a second 20-year option that was open to renegotiation.

McPeek also said that he had been told if Liberty-Ledford had decided to buy water directly from Saline Valley, it would have to build a pumping station that would cost about $500,000. In addition, if Liberty-Ledford were to purchase directly from Saline Valley, the conservancy district would credit Harrisburg with a 20 cent per thousand gallon pass-through credit.

Councilman Mike Weirauch questioned whether Liberty-Ledford would be able to finance construction of such a facility.

Eventually, McPeek, Harper and Councilwoman Natalie Brown-Miller voted to approve the contract. Montfort and Weirauch voted against the accepting the agreement.