(Audubon Co.) The Exira and Brayton water issues were discussed at the Audubon County Board of Supervisors meeting this morning.
Exira and Brayton are connected to the Regional Water Rural Water Association system in Avoca, which has faced ongoing water shortages.
Meg Andersen, Exira City Clerk, explained that the cities of Brayton and Exira jointly hired Snyder & Associates to complete a preliminary engineering report to evaluate alternative water supply options.
They were presented with three options:
- Hooking up to Atlantic Municipal Utilities which would require approximately 17 miles of line and a booster station at a cost of $14.8 million.
- For Exira to have their own new water treatment system and wells at $9.5 million, and Brayton having their own system at $6.6 million.
- Doing a joint water treatment plant for Brayton and Exira at just over $12 million.
Andersen noted that all of the independent options hinder on finding water and there is $200,000 in those options to drill wells and find water, which isn’t guaranteed.
Andersen said they are now at the point of determining the next steps, which is why they met with the Supervisors—to see if there is a way forward, whether through future TIF funding or another option, to develop a countywide plan that would serve all of southern Audubon County and keep the money within the county.
Supervisors Chair Heath Hansen agreed that they have to figure something out, especially for the growth of the county.
The Board and communities will continue to work toward a long-term solution.
