View/print DNR public notice for Oct. 24 here
12/06/2023 by Billy Thetford:
Here is what I know about the water system. Our wells are owned and operated by the Ridgecrest HOA. We have 16 homes in our subdivision and per Missouri law, we are required to become a Public Water System. I am getting this information from the DNR. Brendin Wright is the person I have been talking to and he is the person handling our transition to a Public Water System. The DNR has already come to our neighborhood and looked at the wells. He said that it was obvious the wells are older equipment and they have not had much maintenance at all.
Well number 2, numbering from one to three with number one closest to Creech Lane, number 2 well house has a hole in the roof and will need to be fixed.
Mr. Wright just informed me that we will become a Public Water System and there is no stopping nor changing that, however. He said after the fact when we become a Public Water System, we can convert the wells to a private well system and that would mean that we could get out of being a Public Water System and he said it requires an attorney and it would amount to the homeowners sharing the cost of the well that they are on which can be no more than 3 feeds from one well. A Public Water System can have up to 8 feeds on one well. He said that if we use a lawyer to get out of being a Public Water System, it’s a long process and could be expensive because of using a lawyer. I’m waiting on the packet of paperwork to arrive from Jefferson City. That is what will have the details in it explaining what we need to do to become legal in this state.
I called Lincoln Pump Company and Kevin, the owner, is going to come out and look at everything we have and I will show him the papers from Jefferson City and he will come up with a price on what this will take. Kevin did tell me on the phone that he does not think this will be expensive. We really won’t know until he takes a look around and comes up with a price.
Also, there are a few home owners in the neighborhood that are considering drilling their own private well. The water did come back as clean but I think most of us agree that our water pressure is low, the water smells and it is hard water. So I suggest we all put our thoughts together and come up with any ideas or solutions to fix this issue and we all will benefit from this. We all know that 10 dollars per month is ridiculously cheap for water and the price for our yearly water will go up from what it is now but I don’t think it will be a lot, but that’s just my opinion. When we get an idea of what this will cost, obviously we can get bids from multiple different companies to be as cost effective as possible. But we have to start somewhere so that’s why Mr. Kevin was my first choice and he is on highway KK so he’s really close to us.
Consider this also, our equipment is old and outdated. Some of the casings are schedule 80 and the new standard is schedule 140 or 180. The well tanks are old and rusty, average life span is 15 years, the pumps will need to be checked to see if they are adequate. So when we all learn about what we have existing and what it will take to get us up to Missouri State standards, we will all vote on this and make a collective decision. Remember, majority rules in the HOA.