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Home My WebLink About1973 04-04 Maplewood wants wholesale water REVIEW Aptia ri PI 1"-7e1 rs" A 03111 CtiVILLO 4, , 1773 f.1 Lg:D WO by Scott Carlson In the interest of Maplewood economy, Still undecided whether it should go St. Paul has "pushed its water about as ahead and establish an independent water far as it will go," Wiegert said. system, the Maplewood council pursued the possibility of establishing a wholesale "Our village is self-supporting con- water rate for the village in its meeting cerning the installation of appurtances with the St. Paul Water Board last week. (i.e. booster pumps, water mains, etc.)," Wiegert said. "In that regard Maplewood Maplewood currently buys water from is picking up the burden." the St.Paul Water Department on a retail basis at a 35 per cent higher rate than do Generally the village picks up 80 per St. Paul water customers. cent of water improvement costs with citizens affected by improvements footing "I DON'T TIIINK we came any closer about 20 per cent of costs. to a resolution of the alternatives,"Mayor Les Axdahl said. But he said the Water Axdahl has taken no position on the Board has agreed to study the possibility independent water system issue. Coun- of establishing a wholesale water rate for cilmen Harald Haugan and John Greavu Maplewood. have shown the desire to stay with St. Paul water if possible. "I can't see why there should be a distinction on the retail basis," Coun- cilman Donald Wiegert said. "If I un- derstand right that the Water Department is not supported by city government but relies on revenues from its water rates,it is independent entity,and its purpose is to supply water to its customers at a break- even level of costs, if that be the case— then why should a political boundary be a distinction?" Between the 35 per cent differential plus the water availability charge (WAC) and other types of assessments the Kirkham- Michael water engineering reports in- dicate it would be cheaper for Maplewood to establish its own water system. Although the consultant's report is based on many assumptions, for lack of more information"it seems to say that an independent system is the way to go but I don't know if we have the final answers yet," Wiegert said.