Currently, the city is locked into a 30-year water contract with GWLA water system. The mayor believes once the savings and safety to Flint residents are known, the 30-year contract can be ended.
I wish him great success.
November 11, 2019
By Ron Fonger
...As a city councilman, (click here) Neeley supported joining the KWA, and he said on “Off the Record” that he’s still figuring out “the best options” for water service going forward given what’s already happened.
Buying raw water from the KWA rather than treated water from GLWA might require the city to use its water plant on a full-time basis again -- something that ended with recognition of the water crisis in 2015.
Both GLWA, which was created from the old city of Detroit water system, and the KWA draw water from Lake Huron, but GLWA treats the water it sells to Flint and KWA does not.
Neeley called future decisions about water the hardest he will face.
If one of those decisions involves switching from GLWA to the KWA, Neeley would need a way out of the contract with GLWA and would need to work new arrangements with the KWA, state of Michigan and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
MLive-The Flint Journal could not immediately reach a representative of GLWA for comment on Neeley’s remarks...
The Karegnondi Water Authority (KWA), (click here) consists of Genesee County Drain Commissioner, Lapeer County Drain Commissioner, Lapeer City, Sanilac County Drain Commissioner and the City of Flint. KWA is a Municipal Water Supply System incorporated under PA 233 of 1955 by the people of the State of Michigan. KWA was incorporated in 2010 and began its first fiscal year on October 1, 2010. The purpose of the Authority is to provide and distribute raw water to the region of the State of Michigan commonly referred to as the I-69 corridor.
In 2013 the water authority held a groundbreaking and began construction for a water intake pipeline. The new pipeline was needed to avoid increased water rates from DWSD, who were implementing increased rates by as much as 15% per year. The pipeline will save local residents millions of dollars in water costs in the coming years. It will also provide a necessary back-up water supply to residents in Genesee County and beyond, as well as increased reliability in service. The KWA pipeline has the ability to supply untreated water to the municipalities of the region, industrial customers, agribusinesses, rural agriculture developments, residential commercial light and heavy manufacturers. The boundaries of the water supply encompass over 2,400 square miles and over a half a million people.
In total the KWA project required the installation of a water intake structure, pipelines and multiple pumping stations. Construction was completed, and the KWA pipeline became operational in June of 2016. . KWA welcomes questions and opportunities to share what the pipeline project will accomplish for the region. Please feel free to contact us.
