The City of Leadwood will hold a special meeting, open to the public, Thursday, January 16, at 3 p.m., at city hall. Attending the meeting will be governmental representatives of the US Department of Agriculture, which oversees much of the funding and grants for water systems, the Department of Natural Resources, the SEMO Planning and Development Agency, which has helped the city navigate the course for funding of the system, and representatives of Taylor Engineering.
The proposed water system is the topic of discussion. It is hoped that facts will be available to inform the public of the progress of the system and the potential timetable for the bidding process and an actual date of breaking the ground for this long overdue project to begin.
The water system in Leadwood was built by St. Joe Lead, over a century ago. The city purchased the water system before the lead company ceased operations in Leadwood in the 1960s. Since the 1970’s the residents of Leadwood have been plagued by discolored, foul-smelling water caused in part to the poor construction of the system with numerous dead ends where silt gathers.
Attempts to flush the lines usually end up causing more trouble than success since the dead-end lines do not have hydrants on them. Instead, the flushing causes a stirring up of the silt buildup, resulting in discolored water and ruined laundry. The citizens have been dealing with this situation for 50 years or the entire lifetime of many of its citizens. An improved water system will remove one of the hurdles to growth in the community.
Mayor Chuck White urges citizens to attend the meeting, ask questions, and learn the facts from the governmental departments that are instrumental to the success of this project. The meeting is scheduled to accommodate government agencies that will be represented at the meeting.
