The Edgewood Town Commission is taking the next step in an effort exploring a possible water utility.
The town will be scheduling a public hearing to discuss both the water utility and a solid waste ordinance. The date has not yet been set.
Edgewood is not looking at acquiring the existing water utilities, but rather becoming a water wholesaler.
Currently, residents are served by the private water company EPCOR or by the Entranosa Water Association.
“We wouldn’t be taking over for the local companies,” Town Manager Nina McCracken said. “It just allows the town to be able to go out and purchase water rights. It’s one of the steps we have to do.”
This step is necessary for Edgewood as it looks at the acquisition of water rights needed to support a wholesale water utility.
The town has been exploring the acquisition of water rights for several months, including meeting in closed session to discuss options.
In September, the Town Commission passed a resolution that states the town is interested in acquiring parcels that contain water rights and tasking the town staff and town attorney “to undertake due diligence and investigation as to various elements of Parcels including investigation of title to the Parcels, any liens and/or pending litigation, and, the adequacy, validity, history and use of any related water rights.”
The idea of a town-owned water utility is not new, however, the approach Edgewood is taking has changed. Edgewood has previously entertained ideas such as using eminent domain to take over the EPCOR water system, with an estimated price tag of at least $14.5 million.
A preliminary engineering report from 2018 placed the cost of a water treatment plant at $7 million to $10 million.
In 2022, while facing limited debt capacity and backlash from some members of the public, Edgewood passed a resolution stating that it is committed to water quality improvements. The resolution contemplated a public-private partnership.