West Saline Board Hears Opposition

NEW EDINBURG - Many of those attending a public hearing of the West Saline Water Users Association Monday night voiced their opposition to a proposed merger with two neighboring water systems, and also questioned the board's consideration of changing the legal standing of the service from a private nonprofit association to a "water authority." David Pipes, president of the West Saline Water board, said after the meeting that the board will take the comments from Monday night's meeting into consideration as it continues researching both options. The proposed merger would include the Outside Kingsland Water Association and the City of Kingsland. The board is also exploring the possibility of becoming a water authority to put the association in a better position to receive grants and other benefits.Pipes, as well as other board members, said no decisions have been made regarding the merger nor the transition to a water authority. He said the board is seeking legal input to get a better idea of what the best options will be for the association.About 40 people attended the hearing held at the New Edinburg Community Center. In addition to the board and West Saline water operator Kaleb Parker, Trey Foster of Civil Engineering Associates in Conway was at the meeting. Foster has helped both the City of Kingsland and West Saline Water seek grant money for projects. He conducted a water and sewer rate study for Kingsland, and is currently conducting a rate study for West Saline.Foster said the passage of Act 605 by the state legislature in 2021 has changed the way pub-lic water systems within the state operate. He said the new law essentially gives the state additional oversight of public water providers. Under the law, each public water system is required to conduct a rate study that would determine what customers should be charged. Those rates should not only cover the cost of operating the system, but it should also include a 10 percent surplus that ...