Years ago, the city of Milton used some of the city’s water rights to drill wells for its citizens. Now, it is time for the city council to step up and make maintenance improvements to the utility.
This is not a choice, it is a requirement.
This month, Milton Public Works officials informed council members that the state Department of Health will not allow the city to continue running its deficient water system without creating an improvement plan and completing the top six crucial projects listed.
During its July 19 meeting, council requested a cost/benefit analysis comparing the price for buying water versus the cost of running the city’s water utility.
However, if the three veteran council members recall, the cost of buying water was presented – twice – a year ago, when both Lakehaven Utility District and Mt. View-Edgewood Water Company presented proposals to sell water to the city. When council adamantly refused to buy water from outside agencies, city staff moved on to find other solutions for fixing the city’s failing and financially strapped utility. And now – when faced with the tough decision to shell out city dollars in the midst of economic hardships, not to mention pressures from the state – council decides they want to take another look at something they refused to consider just a year ago.
Council made their bed, now it is time to move on, stop wasting valuable time and fix the city’s ailing water utility system.
The argument from council for the delay in action has been an oath to use taxpayer money wisely. Well, any taxpayer would know it is wise to drink, cook and bathe with clean water from fully functioning pumps and treatment facilities.
If the council cannot take the pressure from providing just that, perhaps it is time it got out of the water business.
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