Somerton eyeing options to meet future water needs

Somerton - The prospect of future growth has city officials looking at both short- and long-term solutions to Somerton's water needs.

One proposal under consideration is to buy a privately run water system to meet needs until city officials can decide between longer-term options for meeting the demand, such as tapping into the Colorado River or digging a new well.

A study done as part of the city's water master plan concluded that at Somerton's present growth rate, it will need another water source in 10 years, City Administrator Cliff O'Neill said.

Currently, city officials are looking into the possibility of purchasing the water system operated by the Orange Grove Water Co., O'Neill said.

The city is already serving 10,000 municipal water consumers and would be able to take on the additional 1,000 customers in Somerton's La Mesa and Orange Grove areas who are served by the private water company, O'Neill said.

The system not only would add to the city's water reserves but provide residents with better-quality water that would not require costly pumping, since the water would be gravity-fed from the higher-lying areas of La Mesa and Orange Grove to the city.

"It would give time to the (city) administration and to the council to decide if we use (Colorado River) water from the canal or if we dig a new well," he said.

"There are other options, but they would be more costly, like a new water tank, which would cost almost $2 million, besides the expansion of the filtration plant."

He said the water company offered the system to the city for $500,000, but the price is subject to negotiation. He said the city has contracted Nicklaus Engineering to prepare an appraisal for the system.

One financing option would to share the expense with the Cocopah Tribe since it has its casino and a soon-to-be-completed hotel and conference center near La Mesa and Orange Grove.

"With the hotel about to open, they are going to need more water and that opens up the opportunity to share the cost," O'Neill said. "It's something we would propose to them."

Depending on how talks proceed with the water company, a purchase proposal could be presented to the council in early 2008.

Meanwhile, the city has contracted with former city of Yuma spokesman James Stover at $25 an hour to prepare a public information campaign to keep Somerton residents informed about water developments. Under the contract, Stover will perform such tasks as preparing fliers, bulletins and news releases, and serve as a contact for area news media.

The council approved the contract at a recent meeting over the objections of Councilwoman Laura Ramirez, who argued that it was premature to hire a spokesman when the city has not yet worked out details of the water project.

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Cesar Neyoy is a staff writer for Bajo El Sol, The Sun's Spanish-language sister publication, from which this story is reprinted.